NUMBER 182

DATE: 08/10/98

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During July, EUM, JMA, AES and CSU processed more than 98% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for July were reported by EUM, JMA and AES.

NOA completed processing of one more year of B2 data; B2 data for March and April 98 were delivered to the GPC this month. However, funding for this task in the current fiscal year has been exhausted, so processing of B2 data has ceased again.

CSU reported some loss of data because of lightning activity at the ground receiving station. Data collection from GOES-9 was terminated at 1600 UTC on 27 July 98 because of concerns that the momentum wheel, used for maintaining spacecraft attitude, would soon fail. GOES-9 has been replaced by GOES-10 in the GOES-WEST position.

CSU is still supplying the AC data for GOES-8 until AES revises their format. AES has reported completion of this revision, but the new format has not be confirmed by the SCC.

In July EUM began processing of both METEOSAT-5 at 63E (covering the Indian Ocean) and of METEOSAT-7 at 0.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for July 98 from GOES-8, GOES-9, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GMS-5 and NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS). BC data for May 98 for METEOSAT-6, GMS-5, GOES-8 and GOES-9 were shipped to the GPC.

All BC reports now include normalization for the visible, standard infrared and "split-window" infrared channels (except METEOSAT which does not have a split-window channel), and the "water vapor" channels.

Global Processing Center (GPC):

The GPC continued to receive B2 data, BC data and correlative data in a routine manner.

Production of NOAA-14 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of August 97. B2 data have been received through April 98. Final B3 data have been produced through December 96.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of August 97. B2 data have been received through April 98. Final B3 data have been produced through December 96.

Production of GOES-7 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 95.

GOES-8 B2 data deliveries are current. The formatting software has not been written yet.

GOES-9 B2 data deliveries are current. The formatting software has not been written yet.

Production of METEOSAT-5 (at 0) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through January 97. However, B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63E) are again being received as of July 98.

Production of METEOSAT-6 (preliminary) B3 data is current.

Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is current.

All B3 processing software and the B3 data formats have been revised to include, as of January 96, the normalization coefficients for all the additional spectral channels.

TOVS correlative data processing is current.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through December 97; delivery tapes are being prepared.

DX/D1/D2 for July 87 through February 88 have been processed. The D-data for November and December 88 will be re-processed to correct an anomaly in the NOAA-11 visible calibration: there had been other hints that the first few months of NOAA-11 visible data had a rapidly evolving calibration, but this is the first definitive evidence that has appeared in the ISCCP results. Release of the first CDrom of D2 data (for 89-93) is expected in October.

There are now 7 years of D2 data available: 1986 and 1988 through 1993. Samples are available on the ISCCP World Wide Web Home Page can be accessed at URL

ISCCP Central Archive (ICA):

The ICA continued to receive B1 data from NOA, AES, EUM, CSU and JMA and B3 and C data from the GPC in a routine manner.

The health of GOES-8, GMS-5, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, NOAA-12 and NOAA-14 remained good. Check-out of NOAA-15 continues (there have been some small problems with AMSU-B); operations are expected to begin in November 98. However, for the foreseeable future, data will also be collected operationally from NOAA-12; ISCCP will continue to collect and process NOAA-12 data as long as it lasts. GOES-10 replaced GOES-9 as the operational GOES-WEST satellite on 27 July 98. The Chinese FY-2 satellite, which ceased data collection at the end of April 98 after only four months of full operations, was partly restored on 1 June 98. Hourly image data are now being collected from 0200 to about 0600 UTC every day.

Stage B3: July 83 - April 95 (11.8 years)

Stage CD: July 83 - December 97 (14.5 years)

Stage C1: July 83 - June 91 ( 8.0 years)

Stage C2: July 83 - June 91 ( 8.0 years)

Stage D1: January 86 - January 87, July 87 - December 93 ( 7.6 years)

Stage D2: January 86 - January 87, July 87 - December 93 ( 7.6 years)

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (NOA = 3 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 33 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 142 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 49 months (with respect to planned schedule). C1/C2 data for 96 months have been archived. D1/D2 data for 91 months have been archived.