NUMBER 246 DATE: 01/09/04

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During November, NOA, EUM, JMA and CSU processed 99% of A data into B1/B2 data. JMA revised its report for September to include some images not successfully shipped, reporting more than 99% of A data processed into B1/B2 data, and also reported more than 94% A data processed into B1/B2 data for October. EUM reported 100% of A data processed into B1/B2 data for September and October. No reports for August-November have been received from MSC.

Normal operations for November were reported by NOA, EUM and JMA. The status of the GOES-9 B1/B2 data for the last few days of May 03 has not been reported by JMA. EUM reported that commissioning of MSG-1, renamed METEOSAT-8, is nearing successful completion and that full operations are planned to begin in February 04. For the next year, METEOSAT-7 and METEOSAT-8 will be operated in parallel with sub-satellite longitudes separated by only about 3.5. CSU reported that further processing and deliveries of GOES-12 B1/B2 data as backup for MSC will be delayed pending funding from NOAA; so far, the data through September 03 have been delivered. The status of MSC operations is still unknown.

CSU is also supplying the AC data for GOES-12 until MSC operations resume.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for November 03 from METEOSAT-5 and METEOSAT-7 and NOAA-16 (AVHRR and HIRS). The first AC data for GOES-9, now operating in the west Pacific, have been received and processed into BC data for June. BC data for September 03 for GOES-10, GOES-12, METEOSAT-5 and METEOSAT-7 were shipped to the GPC.

The AC data delivery problem with JMA has been resolved; however, AC data from GMS-5 for April and May 03 and from GOES-9 for July through November 03 have not yet been delivered.

All AC data are now received 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 by Internet. All data products (except DX) from the GPC are delivered by ftp to NOAA/NCDC and to NASA Langley. As a test, the recently re-processed DX data for 98-01 will be sent to NOAA by ftp to see how difficult this approach is.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-16 are current. Production of NOAA-16 (preliminary) B3 is complete through November 03. Final B3 data have been produced through November 03.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-17 are current. Production of NOAA-17 (preliminary) B3 is complete through November 03. Final B3 data have been produced through November 03.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-8 are complete through March 03. Production of GOES-8 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through March 03. Final B3 data have been produced through September 01.

Deliveries of B2 from GOES-9 (at 155E) are current. The earliest GOES-9 data for the last 9 days of May 03 have not been received, however.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-10 are current. Production of GOES-10 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 03. Final B3 data have been produced through September 01.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-12 are complete through September 03. Production of GOES-12 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 03.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63E) are current. Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 03. Final B3 data have been produced through September 01.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-7 are current. Production of METEOSAT-7 (preliminary) B3 data is compete through June 03. Final B3 data have been produced through September 01.

Deliveries of B2 data from GMS-5 are complete through May 03. Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through March 03. Final B3 data have been produced through September 01.

A sample of radiance data from the Chinese FY-2 satellite has been obtained and a test of the format is underway.

Deliveries of TOVS correlative data are current. TOVS processing is complete through November 03.

Deliveries of snow/ice correlative data are current. SI processing is complete through June 03.

DX/D1/D2 data processing is complete through September 01. Testing of the liquid cloud part of the cloud particle size retrieval code continues. The software and data library needed to merge the convective tracking results from ISCCP with TRMM (or any other dataset) will be released on the ISCCP web site next week.

Three CDs of D2 data are now available from NASA Langley, covering 83-88, 89-93 and 94-98.

Tables are available on the ISCCP Web site that provide the up-to-date version numbers for all ISCCP data products. The whole calibration dataset (Stage BT data) and the ancillary map grid dataset that accompanies the gridded data products are available on the ISCCP ftp site. The entire D2 dataset is also available on the ftp site. Browse data now available on the Web site are monthly mean data for July 83 through September 01 and climatology results based on the period July 83 through September 01. The radiance calibration tables have been updated through September 01. The ISCCP World Wide Web Home Page can be accessed at URL

ISCCP Central Archive (ICA):

The ICA at NOAA NCDC continued to receive B1 data from NOA, MSC, EUM, CSU and JMA and B3 and D data from the GPC in a routine manner. A new effort is underway to bring the documentation for the B1 datasets up to the same level as for the B3 datasets, mainly by developing READ programs for each dataset through all the format and satellite changes. The ICA, with assistance from the GPC, is working on this project. If successful, the next re-processing of the cloud products might be based on the B1 rather than the B3 datasets, providing 10 km sampling rather than 30 km sampling (GPCP is also exploring the use of the B1 dataset to extend its daily precipitation product back to July 83.)

The health of GOES-9, GOES-10, GOES-12, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, NOAA-16 and NOAA-17 remained good. METEOSAT-6 and GOES-11 are in stand-by mode. Full operations by METEOSAT-8 are expected to begin in February 04. MTSAT-1R is scheduled for launch in early 04. The French-Indian mission, Megha-Tropiques, designed to measure tropical radiative fluxes and precipitation at high time resolution, has been saved from cancellation and is now continuing planning.

Stage B3: July 83 - September 01 (18.2 years)

Stage TV: July 83 - June 03 (20.0 years)

Stage SI: July 83 - June 03 (20.0 years)

Stage D: July 83 - September 01 (18.2 years)

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (CSU = 2 months for GOES-12).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 20 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 219 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = 20 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 219 months have been archived.