ISCCP PROJECT STATUS REPORT
NUMBER 286 DATE: 05/11/07
CENTER ACTIVITIES
Sector Processing Center (SPC):
During March, NOA, JMA and MSC processed greater than 99% of A data into B1/B2 data. In February, MSC processed greater than 91% of A data into B1/B2 data.
Normal operations for March were reported by NOA and MSC. JMA reported suspension of MTSAT-1R data collection for a couple of days in April for maintenance; replacement data were collected from MTSAT-2. No reports for February and March have been received from CSU. No reports have been received from EUM for October, November, December, January, February and March.
Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):
AC data were received for March 07 from MTSAT-1R, FY-2C, GOES-11, GOES-12, METEOSAT-7 (over Indian Ocean sector), METEOSAT-8 and NOAA-18 (AVHRR). BC data are complete through January 07 for GOES-11, GOES-12, MTSAT-1R, FY-2C, METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-7 and METEOSAT-8. METEOSAT-8 BC has also been extended back to July 05 using NOAA-16.
The VIS radiance calibration coefficients used for the METEOSAT-8 nominal calibration have been found to be in error; values from the wrong channel were used. These BC data are being reprocessed; revised results for July and August 07 have been sent to the GPC.
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).
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. Production of NOAA-18 (preliminary) B3 is complete through December 06. Final B3 data have been produced through December 06.
Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-17 are current. Production of NOAA-17 (preliminary) B3 is complete through December 06. Final B3 data have been produced through December 06.
Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-11 are current. Production of GOES-11 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 06. Final B3 data have been produced through December 06.
Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-12 are current. Production of GOES-12 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 06. Final B3 data have been produced through December 06.
Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-5 (at 63°E) are complete through January 07, the last data. Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 06. Final B3 data have been produced through December 06.
Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-7 (at 53°E) are current.
Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-8 are current. Production of METEOSAT-8 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 06.
Deliveries of B2 data from MTSAT-1R are current. Production of MTSAT-1R (preliminary) B3 data is complete through December 06. Final B3 data have been produced through December 06.
Full deliveries of B2 data from FY-2C commenced in August 06 but were interrupted a couple of months ago by an earthquake that disrupted internet connections in China. Deliveries by ftp have just resumed. The backlog of deliveries will then be made up by mailing DVDs.
Deliveries of TOVS correlative data are current. TOVS processing is complete through December 06.
Deliveries of snow/ice correlative data are current. SI processing is complete through September 06.
DX/D1/D2 data processing is complete through June 05. Processing has resumed and is complete through June 06 without FY-2C, but there are several anomalies to be investigated before delivering these data. One problem that has been resolved is the normalization of the NOAA-18 VIS channel to previous AVHRRs: since NOAA-15, the VIS channel and a bi-linear response function that now requires using clouds to properly normalize the calibration as there are not enough bright land surfaces to anchor the normalization of the calibration. A second problem, which was being investigated appears to be related to the incorrect nominal VIS calibration used by the SCC to produce BC data. The last problem may be related to the very non-linear response of the MTSAT-1R IR channel at the cold end of the range that is causing a noticeable change in cirrus cloud amounts.
The online bibliography of papers based on ISCCP datasets has been updated through December 06; over 1300 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 June 05.
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-11, GOES-12, MTSAT-1R, METEOSAT-7, METEOSAT-8, FY-2C, NOAA-17 and NOAA-18 remained good. METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-6, METEOSAT-9 and GOES-13 are in stand-by mode. METOP-1 was successfully launched on 19 October 06. NOAA-N’, the last of the current series of NOAA polar orbiters, was damaged again, although not as seriously as before.
DATA DELIVERED
Stage B3: July 83 - June 06 (23.0 years)
Stage TV: July 83 - December 06 (23.5 years)
Stage SI: July 83 - June 06 (23.0 years)
Stage D: July 83 - June 05 (22.0 years)
| Satellite Network |
| B Level Data Products |
OPEN ITEMS
* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (CSU and FY-2C deliveries).
* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 3 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 276 months have been archived.
* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = 15 months (with respect to planned schedule). D1/D2 data for 264 months have been archived.