NUMBER 300 DATE: 11/14/08

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During August and September, NOA (100%, 100%), EUM (93.5%, 86.3%), CSU (100%, 100%) and JMA (100%, 100%) processed A data into B1/B2 data. MSC only collected about 70% of the A data for August.

Normal operations for August and September were reported by NOA, EUM, CSU and JMA.

The problems at MSC continued to affect operations adversely during August and September. As a result, MSC formally announced in October that it was withdrawing from any further participation in ISCCP because they were not willing to make the effort required for the recovery of the processing system (essentially re-writing the processing code for the new computer system).

NCDC continued work to take over processing of GOES-WEST data from CSU and now plans to handle GOES-EAST data processing as well. They expect take over these two satellites early next year (the lost GOES-EAST data will be recovered from the archives).

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for August and September 08 from MTSAT-1R, FY-2C, METEOSAT-7, METEOSAT-9, GOES-11, GOES-12 and NOAA-18. BC data are complete through July 08 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 December 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 December 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; however, the supply of data has been interrupted until NOAA takes over processing from MSC. 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 55E) 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 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 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 07.

The ISCCP Home Page can be accessed at URL

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.

The Working Group on Data Management and Analysis, which encompasses all the GEWEX global projects, met in Hong Kong on 22-24 September 2008. The main discussion topic concerned tasks required to prepare for the complete re-processing of all the data products, including ISCCP. A key goal is to identify a common set of ancillary datasets for input to all of the processing projects; assignments for comparing alternative datasets to pick the "best" one were made involving ISCCP, SRB and the SeaFlux project. The other key goal was to define the common format into which a subset of each project's products that would be placed: this was defined basically by an equal-area grid (like used by ISCCP) equivalent to 1 degree intervals at the equator with time steps every 3 hours (this might become one day). The data format decided

upon was NetCDF. In this merger of all the global products, some additional joint histograms become possible; these will be investigated over the coming year.

The specific revisions of the ISCCP products were also outlined. These include, in addition to the switch from B3 (30 km sampled) radiances to B1U (10 km sampled) radiances, revision of the polar region cloud detection to employ an additional infrared channel, refinement of the ice cloud treatment, revision of the treatment of land surfaces, inclusion of aerosols in the retrieval and selection of better (especially more homogeneous over the whole record) ancillary datasets. The plan is to begin re-processing the ISCCP products in January 2010; until then, the current products will continue in production.

The results of the WGDMA meeting were reported to the meeting of the GEWEX Radiation Panel in Jeju, South Korea, on 14-17 October 2008. The GRP endorsed the planned revisions, the re-processing plan and the common format decision.

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.

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 (24.0 years)

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (none)

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = +9 month (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 288 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = +9 months (with respect to planned schedule. D data for 288 months have been archived.