NUMBER 195

DATE: 10/07/99

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During August, EUM, JMA, CSU and AES processed more than 97% of A data into B1/B2 data.

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

NOA shipped B2 data for November and December 98 to the GPC this month. CSU has now shipped replacement GOES-8 B2 data for January through October 95. AES has shipped replacement GOES-8 B2 data for July 97 through February 98.

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 July and August 99 from NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS) and for August 99 from GOES-8, GOES-10, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7 and GMS-5. BC data for June 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, so that the type of drive needed for data delivery is now accessible. However, the system-level software bug (now definitely identified as a flaw in the vendor-supplied software) has not been resolved. A temporary work-around is being implemented, but this software problem still prevents full data processing. Much more work remains.

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

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

GOES-8 B2 data deliveries are current. Limited processing with the new formatter software is underway. The bad AES B2 data actually cover the period from June 96 through April 98; however, AES had already begun preparation of the replacement data. Replacement B2 data for July 97 through February 98 have been received.

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. So far, GOES-8 B2 data for January through October 95 have been received. The formatting software is in final testing.

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 97, but preparation of B3 data for delivery is slow without the silo.

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.

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.

Calibration anomalies in 94 and early 95 have been resolved and processing of these data has resumed; however, some code changes were necessary to accommodate the presence of two METEOSATs and to resolve some residual problems in the new workstation-network combination.

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.

The research bibliography on the Web site has been updated (and is undergoing one further refinement): the bibliography now includes about 550 papers that have used ISCCP datasets. All of the calibration information posted on the ISCCP Web site has now been updated to cover the period from July 83 through April 98. These results are final only through December 93, but are fairly accurate beyond that. 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 the Japanese MTSAT has been delayed by a battery problem until November 99. The launch of GOES-L, next in the series, has been delayed until at least November of this year, but the launch vehicle has now been cleared for flight. Launch of NOAA-L is now set for no earlier than May 00. EUMETSAT has announced plans to continue operations of METEOSAT-5 at 63E (Asian sector) through 2001, one year longer than originally planned for INDOEX. Moreover, if the launch of METEOSAT Second Generation (MSG) is successful next year and both METEOSAT-6 and METEOSAT-7 are still healthy, one of these latter satellites will be moved to continue coverage of the Asian sector beyond 2001.

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 = 8 months, CSU = 46 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 46 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 142 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 54 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 134 months have been archived.