NUMBER 190

DATE: 05/07/99

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During March, EUM, JMA and AES processed more than 96% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for March were reported by EUM, JMA and AES. No report was received from CSU.

NOA has received new funding so processing of B2 data will resume.

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 March 99 from GOES-8, GOES-10, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GMS-5 and NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS). BC data for January 99 for GOES-8, GOES-10, 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 is on hold again, so actual shutdown did not occur as planned. Missing parts are on order.

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, but some testing remains.

Re-processing of GOES-9 B2 data (and GOES-8 B2 data for 95) will commence soon. The formatting software has been completed, but some testing remains.

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 April 98.

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

The error in the GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data was that incorrect normalization coefficients were applied for some channels because of a software error. This has been corrected, but processing will be delayed to port the software to a UNIX workstation. Once processing commences, it will produce final B3 since the calibration is complete through April 98.

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.

Calibration anomalies in 94 and early 95 are still being investigated.

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 them with the new D-series dataset has been accepted by 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, is now scheduled for launch on 15 May 99. 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 = 11 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 41 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). D1/D2 data for 134 months have been archived.