NUMBER 204 DATE: 07/11/00

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

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

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

NOA delivered B2 data for February and March 00 this past month. CSU has processed and shipped the GOES-10 B2 data through December 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 May 00 from NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS), METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7 and GMS-5. No AC data were received for GOES-8 and GOES-10. BC data for March 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 read/write all ISCCP datasets on the tape silo from workstations is in final testing. The tape cataloging system must now be moved to workstation with a new software system. Porting of remaining software to workstations has been delayed by about four weeks because the mainframe has been down.

Production of NOAA-14 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of April 98; B2 data have been received through March 00. Final B3 data have been produced through April 98. The polar orbiter processing code has been ported to workstation.

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 polar orbiter processing code has been ported to workstation.

The test tape containing NOAA-15 B2 data has been checked out, so delivery of these data will commence shortly.

Production of GOES-8 (preliminary) B3 data is complete for January 96 through December 97. The AES-format-version of the GOES-8 B3 processing software has been ported to workstation. Very small errors in the spectral response functions have been corrected and the new results posted on the Web site.

All (January 96 through July 98) GOES-9 B2 data has been received from CSU. The formatting software is in final testing on workstation. Very small errors in the spectral response functions have been corrected and the new results posted on the Web site.

The GOES-10 B2 data for July 98 through December 99 have been received. The formatting software is in final testing on workstation. The spectral response functions are being prepared for the Web site.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63E) are current, but processing has not resumed. The formatting software for workstation has been completed.

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; the formatting software has been ported to workstation. The documented spectral response functions for METEOSAT-7 have been corrected.

Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through April 98; final B3 data have been produced through April 98. The processing software for GMS has not yet been ported to workstation.

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. The data for 98 will be delivered to the archives once the tape-writing procedures are finished.

A small discrepancy in the GOES-7 B2 format, when data from AES and CSU were being merged, caused excessive loss of data during the processing of D data for 94, so this satellite's data will have to be re-processed. The calibration gap problem from September 94 to February 95 has been resolved; however, the VIS calibration for NOAA-14 is still being studied. D-data for January - December 95 (without GOES-8) have been processed; but one test month of GOES-8 data was also processed successfully. 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.

The METOSAT-7 spectral response functions have been corrected; also the spectral response functions for GOES-8 and GOES-9 have been revised slightly. 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-11 was successfully launched on 2 May 00 and will serve as backup to GOES-8 and GOES-10. Launch of NOAA-L is set for August 00. EUMETSAT has announced a delay of the launch of MSG until at least July 01. Launch of MTSAT-1R (the replacement for GMS-5) is now scheduled for 03.

China successfully launched FY-2B (the geostationary weather satellite) on 25 June 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)

Satellite Network 7/83-12/94 Satellite Network 1/95-12/05
B Level Data Products 7/83-12/94 B Level Data Products 1/95-12/05

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (NOAA-14 = 2 months, NOAA-15 = 17 months, CSU = 5 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 55 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 142 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 63 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 134 months have been archived.