ISCCP PROJECT STATUS REPORT

NUMBER 271                                                                                                                         DATE: 2/08/06

CENTER ACTIVITIES

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During December, NOA, MSC, JMA and EUM processed more than 97% of A data into B1/B2 data. JMA processed more than 99% of MTSAT-1R A data into B1/B2 data for November. EUM processed more than 100%, 100%, 88%, 95% and 100% for July, August, September, October and November, respectively.

Normal operations for December were reported by NOA, MSC, JMA and EUM. EUM also reported normal operations for July through November. No reports have been received from CSU for October, November and December.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for December 05 from FY-2C, METEOSAT-5 and METEOSAT-7, but not from MTSAT-1R, GOES-10, GOES-12 and NOAA-16 (AVHRR and HIRS). A format error was found in the AC data for MTSAT-1R, so these data are being replaced. BC data for October 05 for METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GOES-9 (the last), GOES-10 and GOES-12 were shipped to the GPC.

Work continues to accommodate the AC data for MTSAT-1R, FY-2C and MSG (METEOSAT-8). Also, as decided at the WGDMA meeting, AC data from NOAA-18 and all the geostationary satellites for the last 6 months of 05 will be obtained and processed to provide the most comprehensive intercomparison of calibrations ever obtained before.

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 and GOES-12 which do 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 from the GPC are delivered by ftp to NOAA/NCDC and to NASA Langley.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-18 are current.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-16 are complete through December 05, the last data. Production of NOAA-16 (preliminary) B3 is complete through December 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 05.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-17 are current. Production of NOAA-17 (preliminary) B3 is complete through December 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 05.

Deliveries of B2 from GOES-9 (at 155°E) are complete through October 05, the last data. Production of GOES-9 (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 04.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-10 are complete through October 05. Production of GOES-10 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 04.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-12 are current. Production of GOES-12 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 04.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63°E) are current. Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 04.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-7 are current. Production of METEOSAT-7 (preliminary) B3 data is compete through June 05. Final B3 data have been produced through December 04.

Deliveries of B2 data from MTSAT-1R are current.

Deliveries of B2 data from FY-2C have been made for August through October 05.

Delivery of FY-2C data via Internet has encountered problems that appear to be caused by a too-slow connection with China; this is being investigated. The formatter software for FY-2C is finished but the navigation subroutine is still being tested. The formatter software for MTSAT and METEOSAT-8 is complete.

Deliveries of TOVS correlative data are current. TOVS processing is complete through June 05; however, no HIRS data were delivered for April through June, which causes loss of temperature and humidity profiles in the current processing software. Availability of HIRS data is being checked and the processing software is being changed to accommodate microwave-only temperature and humidity profiles, which are now possible.

Deliveries of snow/ice correlative data are current. SI processing is complete through December 04.

DX/D1/D2 data processing is complete through December 04. The processing of the cloud particle size survey has been completed for the whole ISCCP period (actually from September 81 thru December 04), but some analysis of the results is still needed to design the final product before its release.

The online bibliography of papers based on ISCCP datasets has been updated through December 04; over 1000 ISCCP-related papers have been published.

The cloud climatology plots and browse data, the BT and D2 holdings on the ftp site, the radiance calibration and product version number tables have all been updated through December 04.

A new product has been released on the web site that provides a classification of each location and time for the whole tropics (+ 15° latitude) based on distinctive patterns in the joint distribution of cloud top pressure and optical thickness. This “cluster” analysis has identified six “weather states” that describe the variations of the tropical cloudiness. The classification covers the whole ISCCP record from July 1983 through December 2004. The software for cluster analysis of model output is also provided. A paper will appear shortly in GRL describing this product.

The ISCCP World Wide Web Home Page can be accessed at URL

http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov

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, formats and READ software for the B1 datasets up to the same level as for the B3 datasets. A prototype version of these data, to be called B1U, is now being examined to test their accuracy and usefulness. NCDC has now put the entire DX dataset online.

SATELLITE HEALTH

The health of GOES-10, GOES-12, MTSAT-1R, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, FY-2C, NOAA-17 and NOAA-18 remained good. METEOSAT-8 is also operating routinely. METEOSAT-6 and GOES-11 are in stand-by mode; GOES-11 may be activated this year to replace GOES-10. The launch of GOES-N has been delayed until sometime in early 06. MSG-2 was successfully launched on 21 December 05 and is being prepared for operations at 0 degrees longitude. ALOS was successfully launched on 24 January 06. METOP-1 launch is scheduled for mid-06. The launch of CloudSat and Calipso has been delayed until sometime in the next few months.

DATA DELIVERED

Stage B3:          July 83 - December 04                                                                   (21.5 years)

Stage TV:         July 83 - December 04                                                                  (21.5 years)

Stage SI:           July 83 - December 04                                                                   (21.5 years)

Stage D:           July 83 - December 04                                                                   (21.5 years)

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

OPEN ITEMS

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

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 6 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 258 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = 6 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 258 months have been archived.