{{Short description|Climatological research project}} The '''International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project''' (ISCCP) was established as the first project of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). Since its inception in 1982, there have been two phases: 1983–1995 and 1995–2009.<ref name="npolar">{{cite web|url=http://clic.npolar.no/disc/disc_datasets_metadata.php?s=0&desc=1&table=Datasets&id=DISC_GCMD_ISCCP_D1&tag=All&Category=&WCRP=&Location=All&stype=phrase&limit=10&q=|title=International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Stage D1 3-Hourly Cloud Products - Revised Algorithm in Hierarchical Data Format (ISCCP_D1)|date=2004-12-22|publisher=npolar.no|accessdate=2008-10-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614112012/http://clic.npolar.no/disc/disc_datasets_metadata.php?s=0&desc=1&table=Datasets&id=DISC_GCMD_ISCCP_D1&tag=All&Category=&WCRP=&Location=All&stype=phrase&limit=10&q=|archivedate=2011-06-14}}</ref> The project is responsible for collecting and analysing satellite radiance measurements of weather. It infers clouds' global distribution and properties, along with their diurnal, seasonal, and interannual variations. The results are studied to understand clouds in the climate, including their effects on radiative energy exchanges and their role in the global water cycle. These datasets provide a systematic view of cloud behavior.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov/overview.html|title=ISCCP OVERVIEW|publisher=nasa.gov|accessdate=2008-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010182042/http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov/overview.html|archive-date=2008-10-10|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The ISCCP headquarters were located at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://badc.nerc.ac.uk/data/isccp/|title=International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Data - C2|publisher=nerc.ac.uk|accessdate=2008-10-13}}</ref> ISCCP data is stored at the ISCCP Central Archive and at NASA. While the data are typically used for climate studies, they are also a valuable resource for astronomical pursuits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~jander/clouds/globalclouds.html|title=Global Cloud Cover Maps|publisher=umanitoba.ca|accessdate=2008-10-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924115209/http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~jander/clouds/globalclouds.html|archivedate=2008-09-24}}</ref> ISCCP was headed by William B. Rossow.
Since 1983, institutions around the world have collected and analyzed satellite radiance measurements from two polar orbiting and five geostationary satellites.<ref name="npolar" />
==Objectives== The goals and objectives of the ISCCP have included: <blockquote> #"Produce a global, reduced-resolution, calibrated and normalized, infrared and visible radiance dataset, along with basic information on the radiative properties of the atmosphere, from which cloud parameters can be derived. #Coordinate basic research on techniques for inferring the physical properties of clouds from satellite radiance data. #Derive and validate a global cloud climatology. #Promote research using ISCCP data to improve cloud parameterizations in climate models. #Improve understanding of the earth’s radiation budget (top-of-atmosphere and surface) and hydrological cycle."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov/accomplishments.html|title=Accomplishments of the INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE CLOUD CLIMATOLOGY PROJECT|publisher=nasa.gov|accessdate=2008-10-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010181734/http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov/accomplishments.html|archivedate=2008-10-10}}</ref> </blockquote>
==Criticism== Some scientists suggest that the decreasing trends in the ISCCP data are "satellite viewing geometry artifacts" and that the data may not be appropriate for some long-term global studies.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Arguments against a physical long-term trend in global ISCCP cloud amounts|last=Evan|first=A. T.|author2=A. K. Heidinger|author3=D. J. Vimont|year=2007|journal=Geophysical Research Letters|publisher=American Geophysical Union.|pages=L04701|volume=34|issue=L04701|url=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2007/2006GL028083.shtml|doi=10.1029/2006GL028083|bibcode=2007GeoRL..3404701E|doi-access=free|archive-date=2008-10-11|access-date=2008-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011144611/http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2007/2006GL028083.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>
thumb|500px|center|NASA Goddard Space Flight Center image of clouds, land, ocean, and sea ice
==See also== * Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * Evan, A. T., Heidinger, A. K., & Vimont, D. J. (2007). "Arguments against a physical long-term trend in global ISCCP cloud amounts (DOI 10.1029/2006GL028083)". ''Geophysical Research Letters''. 34 (4), L04701. ISSN 0094-8276 * Knapp, K. R. (2008). "Calibration Assessment of ISCCP Geostationary Infrared Observations Using HIRS". ''Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology''. 25 (2), 183-195. ISSN 0739-0572 * Meinke, I. (2006). "A Comparison of Simulated Clouds to ISCCP Data". ''Monthly Weather Review''. 134 (6), 1669-1681. ISSN 0027-0644 * Rossow, W.B., Y. Desormeaux, C.L. Brest, and A. Walker (1992): ''International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Radiance Calibration Report''. WMO/TD 520. World Climate Research Programme. * Rossow, W.B., and R.A. Schiffer (1999): "Advances in understanding clouds from ISCCP". ''Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc.'', 80, 2261-2288, doi:10.1175/1520-0477(1999)080<2261:AIUCFI>2.0.CO;2. * Schiffer, R.A., and W.B. Rossow (1983): "The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP): The first project of the World Climate Research Programme". ''Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc.'', 64, 779-784. * Tsuang, B.-J., Chou, M.-D., Zhang, Y., Roesch, A., & Yang, K. (2008). "Evaluations of Land-Ocean Skin Temperatures of the ISCCP Satellite Retrievals and the NCEP and ERA Reanalyses". ''Journal of Climate''. 21 (2), 308-330. ISSN 0894-8755
==External links== * [http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov/ Official website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070626080716/http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/sat/CGMS/Directoryofapplications/en/ap4-04.htm Data sets] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080916232209/http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/fire/overview.html FIRE (First ISCCP Regional Experiment)] * [https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/gibbs/ GIBBS (Global ISCCP B1 Browse System, 1974-2008)] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070328040222/http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/catalog/satellite/isccp/C2/means.html Monthly means]
Category:Climatological research Category:Clouds Category:Scientific organizations established in 1982