NUMBER 201

DATE: 04/10/00

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

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

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

NOA funding for processing B2 data has now been exhausted, so deliveries have ceased. CSU has processed and shipped the GOES-10 B2 through September 99.

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 00 from NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS), GOES-8, GOES-10, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7 and GMS-5. BC data for December 99 for GOES-8, GOES-10, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7 and GMS-5 were shipped to the GPC.

Currently, AC data for NOAA and GMS are the only ones received on media (Exabyte and CD-rom, respectively); all other AC data are received and the BC data are sent via Internet.

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; all of these data, except for the BC data and one B2 dataset, are currently received on media.

In-house software to write all ISCCP datasets on the tape silo from workstations is completed, except for some error checking diagnostics. Now the tape cataloging system must be moved to workstation with a new software system. The GISS LAN has been stable for many weeks, allowing some processing to go forward.

Production of NOAA-14 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of April 98; B2 data have been received through September 99. Final B3 data have been produced through April 98. The workstation version of the polar orbiter processing code is still being tested.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of April 98; B2 data have been received through December 98 (the last). Final B3 data have been produced through April 98. The workstation version of the polar orbiter processing code is still being tested.

No NOAA-15 B2 data have been received as yet.

Production of GOES-8 (preliminary) B3 data is complete for January 96 through December 97; the replacement B2 data for September 96 was received and also processed. The AES-format-version of the GOES-8 B3 processing software is now being ported to workstation.

All (January 96 through July 98) GOES-9 B2 data has been received from CSU. The formatting software is in final testing on workstation.

The GOES-10 B2 data for July 98 through September 99 have been received. The formatting software is in final testing on workstation.

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 (it still needs to be ported to workstation, however). 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.

Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through April 98; final B3 data have been produced 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. The re-calibration software has now been ported to workstations and is undergoing final testing.

TOVS correlative data processing is complete through April 98.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset on workstation is complete through September 99. After a few more checks, the data for 98 will be delivered to the archives.

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 - December 94 have now all been processed and the spurious trend has been eliminated. D-data for January - April 95 have been processed. These data (94 & 95) will be delivered after some further testing of the data in the NOAA-gap (September 94 - February 95). All data products are currently delivered on media.

Two CDs of D2 data are now available from NASA Langley, covering 83-88 and 89-93.

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 is scheduled for launch in May 00 and will apparently be put into a storage orbit. Launch of NOAA-L is set for August 00. EUMETSAT has announced plans to continue operations of METEOSAT-5 at 63E (Asian sector) through 01, one year longer than originally planned for INDOEX. Moreover, if the launch of METEOSAT Second Generation (MSG), scheduled for late 00, is successful 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 01.

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 (NOAA-14 = 5 months, NOAA-15 = 14 months, CSU = 5 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 52 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 142 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 60 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 134 months have been archived.