NetCDF (Network Common Data Form) is a set of software libraries and self-describing, machine-independent data formats that support the creation, access, and sharing of array-oriented scientific data.   Data in NetCDF format is:

• ™ Self-Describing. A netCDF file includes information about the data it contains. ™
• Portable. A netCDF file can be accessed by computers with different ways of storing integers, characters, and floating-point numbers. ™
• Scalable. Small subsets of large datasets in various formats may be accessed efficiently through netCDF interfaces, even from remote servers. ™
• Appendable. Data may be appended to a properly structured netCDF file without copying the dataset or redefining its structure. ™
• Sharable. One writer and multiple readers may simultaneously access the same netCDF file. ™
• Archivable. Access to all earlier forms of netCDF data will be supported by current and future versions of the software.