Netcdf Format
NETCDF is the "Network Common Data Form" and has the following powerful advantages:
- Network transparent - Machine Independent:
Meaning that the data can be accessed by computers that have different
representations for integers, characters, and floating-point numbers.
- Self-describing:
Meaning that a netCDF file includes information defining the data it contains. (the header of a file can be seen by ncdump -h).
- Widely-used by graphical packages:
For example,
- MATLAB(Mathematical Laboratory)
to be used in association with the mexcdf interface and some useful tools.
- FERRET(4D data visualisation),
- GRADS(Grid Analysis & Display System),
- Benefit from many utilities:
- Benefit from standard conventions:
- COARDS (Convention of Cooperative Ocean/Atmosphere Research Data Service)
- GTD (CLimate Data Convention)
- GRIB (WMO standard for gridded data)
- CSM (Convention of Climate System Model)
- LATS (Library of AMIP Data Transmission Standards)