11 June 2014. A new netCDF Standards Working Group (SWG) is being chartered to further extend the existing netCDF standard with extension modules for additional data models, encodings, and conventions. Initiators of the new SWG seek comments from the public on the draft new charter.
NetCDF has already been established as an adopted OGC standard, encompassing a core standard along with extensions for specific data models and encodings and for the Climate and Forecast (CF) metadata conventions. The additional extensions to be addressed by the new netCDF SWG include, but are not limited to, those currently under consideration by the currently existing CF-netCDF 1.0 SWG, which will be disbanded and replaced by this NetCDF SWG.
NetCDF (network Common Data Form) is a data model for multidimensional array-oriented scientific data, a freely distributed collection of access libraries implementing support for that data model, and a machine-independent storage format. Together, the interfaces, libraries, and format support the creation, access, and sharing of scientific data.
Having already established netCDF as an OGC standard for binary encoding has made it possible to incorporate standard delivery of data in binary form via several OGC protocols, including the OGC Web Coverage Service (WCS), Web Feature Service (WFS), and Sensor Observation Service (SOS) Interface Standards. Work is already underway on an extension to GML and OWS for delivery of data encoded in netCDF. Additional netCDF conventions extensions will improve the effectiveness and usability of netCDF datasets by a wider community. One example is the recently released OGC NetCDF Uncertainty Conventions Discussion Paper.
The OGC® is an international consortium of more than 475 companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available geospatial standards. OGC standards support interoperable solutions that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. Visit the OGC website at http://www.opengeospatial.org/