NetCDF Data File Format Information

NetCDF is a data abstraction for scientific data access and a software library that provides a concrete implementation of the interfaces that support that abstraction. The implementation provides a machine-independent format for representing scientific data.

The Network Common Data Form, or netCDF, is an interface to a library of data access functions for storing and retrieving data in the form of arrays. An array is an n-dimensional (where n is 0, 1, 2, ...) rectangular structure containing items which all have the same data type (e.g. 8-bit character, 32-bit integer). A scalar (simple single value) is a 0-dimensional array.

NetCDF is an abstraction that supports a view of data as a collection of self-describing, network-transparent objects that can be accessed through a simple interface. Array values may be accessed directly, without knowing details of how the data are stored. Auxiliary information about the data, such as what units are used, may be stored with the data. Generic utilities and application programs can access netCDF files and transform, combine, analyze, or display specified fields of the data. The development of such applications may lead to improved accessibility of data and improved reusability of software for array-oriented data management, analysis, and display.

The NetCDF software implements an abstract data type, which means that all operations access and manipulate data in a netCDF file must use only the set of functions provided by the interface. The representation of the data is hidden from applications that use the interface, so that how the data are stored could be changed without affecting existing programs. The physical representation of netCDF data is designed to be independent of the computer on which the data were written.

Unidata supports the netCDF interfaces for C, FORTRAN, C++, and perl and for various UNIX operating systems. The software is also ported and tested on a few other operating systems, with assistance from users with access to these systems, before each major release. Unidata's netCDF software is freely available via FTP to encourage its widespread use.

For more NetCDF Information, http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/netcdf/

Home | News | Project Documents
Data Exchange Protocol | Instrumented Network Links
HDF File Format | NetCDF File Format | How To Submit Data
How To Receive Data | Getting Involved | Data Catalog | Overpass Times