NUMBER 222 DATE: 01/04/02

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During November, EUM, JMA, CSU, MSC and NOA processed 90% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for November were reported by EUM, JMA, MSC and NOA. CSU reported loss of two images due to telemetry problems.

CSU is still supplying the AC data for GOES-8 because the SCC has not accepted the revised format from MSC.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for November 01 from NOAA-16 (AVHRR and HIRS), METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GMS-5, GOES-8 and GOES-10. BC data for September 01 for METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GMS-5, GOES-8 and GOES-10 were shipped to the GPC. The switchover to NOAA-16 for normalization was successful.

AC data for GMS are received on CD-rom; 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 are now received by Internet, except for the B2 data from JMA and NOA. A test of ftp delivery from JMA is being arranged. Delivery by ftp of all data (except DX) from the GPC to NOAA/NCDC and to NASA Langley is underway.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-14 are complete. Production of final B3 data has been completed through October 01 (the last). Since the NOAA-14 AVHRR failed in October; NOAA-16 will become the primary calibration reference for ISCCP for November 01 and beyond.

NOAA-15 B2 data have been received for January 99 through July 00 (the last). Production of final B3 data has been completed through July 00. There are two problems with the Channel 3 (3.7 micron) radiances: spurious and unflagged switches to 1.6 microns and solar glare. NOAA-15 is the first of the new AVHRRs that have six spectral channels; but, in order to preserve the 5-channel data format, the 1.6 and 3.7 micron channels share a slot, the former operating during daytime and the latter during nighttime. This form of operation was not enabled on NOAA-15; however we have found numerous occasions where the switch is made, even though the flag in the dataset indicates otherwise (sometimes another quality flag is set indicating something wrong with the calibration, which suggests that the instrument tries to calibrate this channel as if it is still using the 3.7 micron detector). Interpreting 1.6 micron measurements as 3.7 micron measurements leads to very peculiar values; this problem occurred so frequently in March 99 that the cloud analysis encountered a failure condition. Because the count values look very different at 1.6 microns than at 3.7 microns, the NOAA-15 B3 can and will be re-processed to remove these bad data. The sun glare problem (sunlight scattered into the instrument telescope directly instead of reflected from the Earth) is more easily detected at 3.7 microns, but also affects the other solar wavelength channels. The reason why this satellite is having this problem when the other AVHRRs did not is unknown. The effect alters the visible and 3.7 micron radiances for the last few pixels in each scanline for a number of scanlines where the geometry is favorable. This problem will be fixed in a special pre-processing before cloud analysis.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-16 are current. Processing will require more extensive software changes than for NOAA-15 because of the six channels available.. Also, the cloud detection algorithm and the DX-format will have to be revised before these data can be used.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-8 are current. Production of GOES-8 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 99. Final B3 data have been produced through December 99.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-10 are current. Production of GOES-10 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 99. Final B3 data have been produced through December 99.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63E) are current. Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 99. Final B3 data have been produced through December 99.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-7 are current. Production of METEOSAT-7 (preliminary) B3 data is compete through December 99. Final B3 data have been produced through December 99.

Deliveries of B2 data from GMS-5 are current. Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 99. Final B3 data have been produced through December 99.

All B3 processing software for the geostationary satellites has now been modified to operate beyond 1999.

TOVS correlative data processing is complete through June 00.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through December 99.

DX/D1/D2 data processing is complete through December 99. The NOAA-15 data will have to be processed with a special procedure to remove pixels contaminated by solar glare. All data products are currently delivered by ftp to the ICA and NASA Langley (except for DX data).

Two CDs of D2 data are now available from NASA Langley, covering 83-88 and 89-93. A new CD covering 94-98 is planned.

The survey of midlatitude cyclones that merges re-analysis and ISCCP cloud data has been completed covering the period from 1983 through 1998.

Data now available on the Web site are monthly mean data for July 83 through December 98 and climatology results based on the period July 83 through December 98. The radiance calibration tables have been updated through December 00. 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, MSC, 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 and NOAA-16 remained good. METEOSAT-6, GOES-11 and GOES-12 are in stand-by mode. GMS-5 scan motor problems continue; but the main 3-hr images required by ISCCP are still collected. MTSAT-1R launch is planned for 03 and launch of MTSAT-2 is planned for 04. MSG-1 launch is scheduled for mid 02. NOAA-M is scheduled for launch in March 02. FY-2B (geo) and FY-1C (polar) are reported to be operational (no details available); the launch of FY-1D has been delayed until the first half of 02 because FY-1C continues to operate well. INSAT-2E is operational with 2B as backup. Launches of INSAT-3A and METSAT are scheduled for in mid-02. METEOR-3M-N1 (polar) was successfully launched in December 01 carrying, in addition to a meteorological imager, the SAGE-III instrument. The launches of Envisat, ADEOS-II and Aqua scheduled for early 02 have all been delayed.

Stage B3: July 83 - December 99 (16.5 years)

Stage TV: July 83 - December 99 (16.5 years)

Stage SI: July 83 - December 99 (16.5 years)

Stage D: July 83 - December 98 (15.5 years)

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (none).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 17 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 198 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = 29 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 186 months have been archived.