processing and assimilation of raw TOVS/ATOVS radiance data from the NOAA-14/NOAA-15 polar orbiting spacecraft (note that current operational assimilation is reduced t one - NOAA-14 - spacecraft since NOAA-11 failure on 27.2.1999); the move to assimilating raw radiance data (as opposed to the NESDIS pre-processed radiances that were previously used) has required a significant review of the errors assigned to radiance observations in the analysis and new quality control procedures;
a complete rewriting of the sea (and lakes) surface temperature and ice concentration software resulting in the correction of several minor inconsistencies.