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    • International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), Raw Radiance Data (B1)

    Metadata Updated: September 19, 2023

    In 1983, the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) began collecting satellite data from the international geostationary meteorological satellites as well as NOAA POES satellites around the world in an effort to characterize global cloudiness. Due to computing limitations at the time, data were subsampled to ~10 km were archived for future processing. This subsampled data is called B1 data. ISCCP B1 data are a collection of measurements from imagers on international geostationaru satellites which are sub-sampled to approximately 10 km and 3 hourly. The ISCCP B1 data are primarily composed of visible (VIS), infrared water vapor (IRWVP) and infrared window (IRWIN) channels (roughly 0.6um, 6.7um and 11um, respectively). The visible and infrared channels are window channels that are more sensitive to the surface than the atmosphere which helps discriminate clouds from clear sky [2]. Conversely, the water vapor channel is mostly opaque and as such, is not used in the ISCCP cloud mask algorithm.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date June 23, 2023
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date September 19, 2023
    Reference Date(s) 1983 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update continual

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from ncdc

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Sample infrared image from ISCCP B1: GOES-7 data from March 13, 1993.

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date June 23, 2023
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date September 19, 2023
    Reference Date(s) 1983 (publication)
    Responsible Party NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.ncdc:C00576
    Access Constraints Knapp, K. R., W. Rossow, H. Semunegus, W. Hankins, EUMETSAT and JMA (2020): International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) [B1]. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. [Access Date]., Also cite this scientific paper when used as a source: Knapp, K. R., 2008: Scientific data stewardship of International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project B1 global geostationary observations. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, 2, 023548, Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives., Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
    Bbox East Long 180.0
    Bbox North Lat 90.0
    Bbox South Lat -90.0
    Bbox West Long -180.0
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update continual
    Graphic Preview Description Sample infrared image from ISCCP B1: GOES-7 data from March 13, 1993.
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/metadata/images/C00576.jpg
    Graphic Preview Type JPG
    Harvest Object Id 75fed4df-d8aa-46fb-ba5e-aaf727f932e1
    Harvest Source Id 2cb3ef77-1683-4c2a-9119-dc65e50917c6
    Harvest Source Title ncdc
    Licence Coverage over the poles is limited., Each originating agency providing B1 data has a unique binary file format. These B1 data are the source for two other important datasets that attempt to normalize the binary format: (1) GridSat B1 - a gridded version of the data, where the data have been calibrated, reprojected and normalized. (2) ISCCP B1U - This is a mere reformatting of the raw B1 data described here.
    Lineage ISCCP was initially envisioned as a 5-year project but has now continued for more than 25 years. A federation of data providers (termed Satellite Processing Centers, SPCs), including the United States, Europe (EUMETSAT), Japan, Canada, China, and others supply raw satellite data to the ISCCP Central Archive (NOAA's Data Archive--or NCEI) and the ISCCP Global Processing Center (GPC) for processing into the ISCCP products. Each SPC subsamples full resolution geostationary data to roughly 10 km and 3 hours, thereby creating so-called B1 data. The B1 data have been archived at NOAA but were rarely accessed and suffered some data atrophy as a result. Due to the relatively large volume of the B1 data, the GPC processed B3 data, which are a subset of the full resolution data to 30 km.
    Metadata Language eng; USA
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -90.0], [180.0, -90.0], [180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, 90.0], [-180.0, -90.0]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1978-01-01

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