ISCCP PROJECT STATUS REPORT

NUMBER 295                                                                                                DATE: 03/14/08

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During December and January, NOA, EUM, MSC, CSU and JMA processed greater than 96% of A data into B1/B2 data. No report for December was received from MSC; EUM only processed 71% of A data into B1/B2 data for December.

Normal operations for December were reported by NOA, CSU and JMA and for January by NOA, EUM, CSU, MSC and JMA.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for December 07 and January 08 from MTSAT-1R, FY-2C, METEOSAT-7, METEOSAT-9, GOES-11, GOES-12 and NOAA-18. BC data are complete through November 07 for MTSAT-1R, FY-2C, METEOSAT-7, METEOSAT-9, GOES-11 and GOES-12.

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 for METEOSAT-7 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 September 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-17 are current. Production of NOAA-17 (preliminary) B3 is complete through September 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-11 are current. Production of GOES-11 (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-12 are current. Production of GOES-12 (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-7 (at 55°E) are current. Production of METEOSAT-7 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-9 commenced in April 07 and are current. Production of METEOSAT-9 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Deliveries of B2 data from MTSAT-1R are current. Production of MTSAT-1R (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 07. Final B3 data have been produced through June 07.

Delivery of B2 data from FY-2C are current.

Deliveries of TOVS correlative data are current. TOVS processing is complete through June 07.

Deliveries of snow/ice correlative data are current. SI processing is complete through June 07.

DX/D1/D2 data processing is now complete through June 07 (without FY-2C). The problem with MTSAT-1R has been resolved: a variable number of excessively dark VIS pixels in the daytime images over oceans apparently distorted the normalization procedure enough to cause a “piling up” of image pixels with zero count values after calibration. Consequently, an excessive amount of ultra-thin cirrus cloud was produced, more than usually present in the western Pacific. Adjustment of the VIS normalization intercept values by a few percent appears to fix the problem. This behavior extends back to the earliest MTSAT-1R data, although the severity varies with time and is worse in late 2006 and early 2007, so almost all of the D-data back to the beginning of 2006 will be re-processed. Next, processing of FY-2C will commence and the D1/D2 products will be replaced with a version including it.

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 06.

A new “storminess” database has been added to the ISCCP (and DIME) website; this database indicates the location and motion of midlatitude cyclone storms and determines which geographic locations are associated with which storm center. Based on an analysis of the 6-hr sea level pressures from the NCEP reanalysis, the database covers both the northern and southern midlatitudes for the period 1948-2007. However, quality, especially in the southern hemisphere is probably less good before 1979.

The ISCCP Home Page can be accessed at URL

http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov

ISCCP Central Archives (ICA):

The ICA at NOAA NCDC continued to receive B1 data from NOA, JMA, EUM, CSU, MSC and CMA and B3 and DX/D1/D2 data from the GPC in a routine manner.

SATELLITE HEALTH

The health of GOES-11, MTSAT-1R, METEOSAT-7, METEOSAT-9, FY-2C, NOAA-17 and NOAA-18 remained good. METEOSAT-5, METEOSAT-6, METEOSAT-8, GOES-13 and MTSAT-2 are in stand-by mode. GOES-10 has been moved to 60 degrees west longitude to provide better coverage of South America; Brazil has indicated plans to provide B1/B2 data from this satellite for ISCCP. At the beginning of December (3 December), GOES-12 suffered a thruster anomaly after an orbit-trim maneuver but was restored to normal on 7 December 07. However, as a result of the event, the satellite began drifting eastward; maneuvers were conducted earlier this week to restore the orbit. Data collection resume on 17 December 07. During this nearly 2-week outage, data were collected from GOES-10. From 3-11 December 07, METEOSAT-8 replaced METEOSAT-9 while the latter performed routine decontamination. On 2 January 08, METEOSAT-8 suffered another thruster anomaly; this second anomaly, similar to one last year, seems to contradict the conclusion that the first event was caused by a meteorite strike.

DATA DELIVERED

Stage B3:        July 83 – June 07                                                                                (24.0 years)

Stage TV:       July 83 – June 07                                                                                (24.0 years)

Stage SI:         July 83 – June 07                                                                                (24.0 years)

Stage D:          July 83 – June 06                                                                                (23.0 years)

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

OPEN ITEMS

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (none)

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = +1 month (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 288 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = +13 months (with respect to planned schedule. D data for 276 months have been archived.