NUMBER 192

DATE: 07/09/99

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During May, EUM, JMA, CSU and AES processed more than 99% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for May were reported by EUM, JMA, CSU, AES and NOA.

NOA has resumed deliveries of B2 data to the GPC, shipping data for May and June 98 this past month.

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 May 99 from GOES-8, GOES-10, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GMS-5 and NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS). BC data for March 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 hardware upgrade of the tape silo has been completed, except for the remaining low density drives; in other words, an upgrade that was supposed to take one week is still not complete after six weeks. Although the new system software has been installed, the new applications-level software does not work. Efforts have been underway for several weeks to determine and solve the problems; right now the situation does not look good. Meanwhile the system is now inaccessible from any computer system, so all large-volume data processing has been at a standstill for the past month. There is no estimate of how long it will take to get this system functioning again.

The VIS calibration for NOAA-11 has been changed for the period January through September 94 to eliminate a spurious darkening trend, detected in the cloud product results and confirmed by comparison with NOAA-12. The D-data for January - August 94 will be re-processed and replaced.

Production of NOAA-14 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of April 98; B2 data for May and June 98 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; B2 data for May and June 98 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, including a procedure to process the occasional substitute "North American" images. Full processing is on hold until the software can be ported to workstations and the silo function can be restored. Limited processing is being conducted to test the software further.

Processing of GOES-9 B2 data (and the GOES-8 B2 data for 95) depends on delivery by CSU of all the B2 data in its new final format. The formatting software has been completed, but some testing remains. Replacement B2 data for GOES-8 for January 95 have been received.

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. EUM reported that, due to a late decision to switch the detector used, the documented spectral response functions for METEOSAT-7, published in the latest B3 documentation and posted on the ISCCP Web page, are incorrect. The correct spectral response functions will be posted to the Web page as soon as processing resumes.

Deliveries of B2 data from GMS-5 are current. Final B3 data have been produced through December 95. Further processing is on hold until the software can be ported to workstations and the silo function can be restored.

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) is being prepared.

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. The launch of GOES-L, next in the series, has been delayed while investigation of a launch mishap with the same booster is being conducted. This investigation is also delaying the launch of the first EOS spacecraft. The Japanese MTSAT launch is currently scheduled for July or August 99. NOAA-L is now scheduled for launch in spring 00. When it enters operational status, NOAA is planning to modify its AVHRR data format to collect full 6-channel data, including both the 1.6 and 3.7 micron channels. QUIKSAT, bearing the scatterometer to measure ocean surface winds, was successfully launched on 19 June 99. The launch of ADEOS-2 has been postponed to the summer of 00.

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, CSU = 52 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 43 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 142 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 51 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 134 months have been archived.