NUMBER 189

DATE: 04/14/99

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

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

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

CSU reported radio frequency interference corrupted GOES-10 imagery from 2100 UTC on 24 February through 17 March.

NOA processing of B2 data is still on hold, pending receipt of new funding.

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.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for February 99 from GOES-8, GOES-10, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GMS-5 and NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS). BC data for November and December 98 for GOES-10 and for December 98 for GOES-8, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7 and GMS-5 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.

The upgrade of the tape silo has begun, albeit in starts-and-stops; actual shutdown will occur next week.

Production of NOAA-14 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of April 98; no further B2 data have been received. Final B3 data have been produced through April 98.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of April 98; no further B2 data have been received. Final B3 data have been produced through April 98.

GOES-8 B2 data deliveries are current. Development of the formatting software is complete except for the navigation subroutine.

No usable GOES-9 B2 data has been delivered as yet (this problem also effects the first year of GOES-8 data, 95, processed by CSU); however, a readable and accurately documented tape format has now been completed. Full re-processing of B2 data tapes is being delayed until completion of the formatting software confirms that all needed information is present. The navigation subroutine is the last element of the formatting software being tested.

Production of METEOSAT-5 (at 0) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been produced through February 97, the last produced at the 0 position. Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63E) are current, but processing has not resumed.

Production of METEOSAT-6 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 98. Final B3 data have been produced through December 97.

Production of METEOSAT-7 (preliminary) B3 data has not commenced; however, the formatting software has been completed.

There appears to be an error in the initial calibration of the GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data that is being investigated.

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 complete through April 98.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through December 97.

DX/D1/D2 data for September 94 - April 95 have been completed. This processing was difficult because this is the first time in the history of ISCCP that processing has been attempted without an afternoon polar orbiter as the calibration reference (NOAA-11 having died suddenly in mid-September 94 and NOAA-14 not having begun operations until February 95). These data are now being examined and tested to confirm the accuracy of the calibration.

The first CDrom of D2 data (for 89-93) has been released and is now available from the GPC or NASA Langley. Another CDrom of D2 data (for 83-88) will be prepared as soon as possible.

A paper describing what is known about the accuracy of the C-series dataset and comparing with the new D-series dataset has been submitted to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

Data now available on the Web site are monthly mean data for July 83 through December 93 and climatology results based on the period July 83 through June 94. 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 D data from the GPC in a routine manner.

The health of GOES-8, GOES-10, GMS-5, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, NOAA-14 and NOAA-15 remained good. GOES-L, next in the series, was scheduled for launch in March 99, but no report has been received. NOAA-L is scheduled for launch in December 99. The first of the next generation Japanese satellites, called MTSAT, may also be launched late this year.

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

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

Stage D1: July 83 - August 94 (11.2 years)

Stage D2: July 83 - August 94 (11.2 years)

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (NOA = 10 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 40 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 142 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 48 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 134 months have been archived.