There are a number of formats/forms available for storing scientific data. Generally, most scientific computation APIs/languages/toolkits support import and export operations on these formats. Some of the popular formats are as follows:
Network Common Data Form (NetCDF): This is a self-describing and machine/device/platform-independent data format that supports manipulation (creation, access, and sharing) of large array-based scientific data. It is also bundled with a set of software libraries for creation and manipulation. Generally, this format is used in applications such as weather forecasting, climate change from climatology and meteorology, the oceanography domain, and GIS applications. Most GIS applications support NetCDF as an input/output format, and it is also used for general scientific data exchanges.
The main source of this format is the Unidata program at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The project's home page is hosted by...