NUMBER 304 DATE: 06/12/09

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During March, NOA (100%), CSU (100%) and JMA (100%) processed A data into B1/B2 data. During April, CSU (100%) and JMA (100%) processed A data into B1/B2 data. During May, CSU (99.6%) processed A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for March and April were reported by NOA, CSU and JMA. A refined agreement of EUM participation in ISCCP was completed to clarify some issues in the delivery of B1/B2 data.

Brazil (INPE) has delivered test B2 data from GOES-10 in the B1U format, which are acceptable for processing, so deliveries of complete B2 data will commence soon.

NCDC processed all of the GOES-EAST backlog from July 08 through March 09.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for March and April 09 from MTSAT-1R, FY-2C, METEOSAT-7, METEOSAT-9, GOES-11, GOES-12 (AC data is being supplied by CSU for both GOES satellites) and NOAA-18. BC data are complete through February 09 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 June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Deliveries of B2 data from NOAA-17 are current. Production of NOAA-17 (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-11 are current. Production of GOES-11 (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Deliveries of B2 data from GOES-12 are complete through October 08, although substantial numbers of images have been missed since July 08. NOAA NCDC has processed all of the backlog of data through March 09; deliveries are underway. Production of GOES-12 (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-7 (at 55E) are current. Production of METEOSAT-7 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Deliveries of B2 data from METEOSAT-9 are current. Production of METEOSAT-9 (preliminary) B3 data is complete through June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Deliveries of B2 data from MTSAT-1R are current. Production of MTSAT-1R (preliminary) B3 is complete through June 08. Final B3 data have been produced through June 08.

Delivery of B2 data from FY-2C are current. Processing of these data has commenced but some irregularities in the format of the earliest datasets are still being investigated.

Deliveries of TOVS correlative data are current. TOVS processing is complete through June 08.

Deliveries of snow/ice correlative data are current. SI processing is complete through June 08.

In preparation for the planned re-processing, a new, more modern, more homogeneous ozone data product has been produced through December 08 by merging, TOMS and OMI with TOVS used in the unilluminated polar regions (supplemented by SBUV). The topography and land/water mask database used in the ISCCP processing has also been updated to the latest, highest resolution product available.

DX/D1/D2 data processing is now complete through June 08 (without FY-2C). The cloud detection algorithm code has been revised to process the B1U radiances; to provide more products, the AVHRR data will be processed at full GAC (4 km nominal) resolution and sampled to B1 (10 km nominal) resolution before the gridded products are produced. Two small changes to the algorithm are being tested, one taking advantage of the smaller spatial sampling interval for testing spatial radiance variations and the other taking advantage of more modern code to make all the time tests use centered time windows for each processed image. Further tests will be conducted to refine the detection thresholds and to add another spectral contrast test to improve polar cloud detections.

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 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. NOAA-19 was successfully launched on 6 February and will replace NOAA-18 once on-orbit check-out is completed. METEOSAT-9 entered safe mode on 17 April and was temporarily replaced by METEOSAT-8. The event was triggered by an anomaly in the power supply but there are no indications of permanent damage. Investigation is ongoing.

Stage B3: July 83 - June 08 (25.0 years)

Stage TV: July 83 - June 08 (25.0 years)

Stage SI: July 83 - June 08 (25.0 years)

Stage D: July 83 - June 08 (25.0 years)

Satellite Network

B Level Data Products

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data ().

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = +4 month (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 300 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for DX/D1/D2 data = +4 months (with respect to planned schedule. D data for 300 months have been archived.