ISCCP PROJECT STATUS REPORT

NUMBER 272                                                                                                                         DATE: 3/08/06

CENTER ACTIVITIES

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During January, NOA, MSC and JMA processed 100% of A data into B1/B2 data. CSU processed 95%, 100% and 100% for October, November and December, respectively.

Normal operations for January were reported by NOA, MSC and JMA. No report for January was received from EUM; CSU sent reports for October, November and December but no report for January was received.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for December 05 from GOES-10, GOES-12 and NOAA-16 (AVHRR and HIRS) and for January 06 from FY-2C, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, GOES-10 and GOES-12. A format error was found in the AC data for MTSAT-1R, so these data are being replaced. BC data for November 05 for METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7, 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-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 June 05.

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

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 June 05.

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 June 05.

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 June 05.

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. The problem mentioned in the last report turned out to be a changed meta-data flag value — it is being used differently than before.

Deliveries of snow/ice correlative data are current. SI processing is complete through June 05.

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

A new set of pages has been set up on the GEWEX Radiation Panel web site at http://grp.giss.nasa.gov to provide an overview of the comparisons among about half a dozen global cloud datasets. Investigation of these datasets over the next year or so will provide an evaluation of their accuracy.

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. MTSAT-2 was successfully launched on 18 February 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. Cryosat-2 (replacement for the lost Cryosat) has been approved and is scheduled for launch in March 09.

DATA DELIVERED

Stage B3:          July 83 - June 05                                                                            (22.0 years)

Stage TV:         July 83 - June 05                                                                           (22.0 years)

Stage SI:           July 83 - June 05                                                                            (22.0 years)

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

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

OPEN ITEMS

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (EUM = 1 month, CSU = 1 month).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 1 month (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 264 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = 7 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 258 months have been archived.