Tag: data format

HDF MultiDimensional Data

Hierarchical Data Format HDF multidimensional data, which can grow in space and time dimension. It is specially designed by National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) for storing scientific data in mosaic datasets. You may also look over GRIB, netcdf and all multidimensional data.

Here the data is stored in hierarchical format i.e. in tree like structure. It contains band information in variables. Variables may have one or more variable. Each band data in this variables may differ in size and dimension. Also each data can contain information of different regions.

 HDF Multi-Dimensional Data

HDF 4 (Hierarchical data format release 4) – HDF MultiDimensional Data

HDF supports two formats, both are completely different and NOT compatible. It supports multidimensional arrays, raster images and table data. It has some limitations as it supports multiple (arrays, table and images) data hence makes complex API.

HDF 5 (Hierarchical data format release 5)- HDF MultiDimensional Data

This format is designed to overcome the limitations of HDF 4. This structure consist of datasets and groups.

  • Groups, which are container structures which can hold datasets
  • Datasets, which are multidimensional arrays of a homogeneous type.

Get information of HDF multidimensional data bands-

As data is arranged in hierarchical format, we need to run two command to get band details, both from GDAL utility.

1. Gdalinfo- This commands gives the information about number of  subdatasets present in file. Each sub-dataset detail is stored in SUBDATASET_n_NAME metadata item. The related description is stored in SUBDATASET_n_DESC metadata item.

HDF Multi-Dimensional Data

2. Gdal_translate- The gdal_translate utility is used to import the bands or convert in desired format. Here we have converted HDF data in NetCDF format.

HDF Multi-Dimensional Data

Hope this article help you to understand HDF data format. You can also visit multidimensional data for more information. Please let us know if you require any help, by commenting in given comment box.

GRIB Multidimensional Data

General Regularly-distributed Information in Binary GRIB multidimensional Data that can grow in space (Latitude, Longitude and altitude) and time. GRIB data is standardized by World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This contains various raster data in mosaic datasets.  This stores data from meteorological department and weather forecast. You may also look over NetCDF multidimensional data, HDF multidimensional data and all multidimensional data format.

GRIB Multidimensional Data versions

It has two versions GRIB1 and GRIB2.

  1. GRIB 1: This format is no longer used. It is recognized just because it is stilling using by World Area Forecast system of the ICAO. The CMC (Canadian Meteorological Center) will stop producing data in this format.
  2. GRIB 2: This is a great modernization of GRIB data format. It does not support and compatible for GRIB 1 version.

Get Details Of GRIB Multidimensional data

To get details of GRIB data we can use gdalinfo utility from GDAL library. This command helps us to see the sub datasets present in GRIB file with their description, bounding box etc.

GRIB Multi-dimensional Data

To convert it in NetCDF format or any other format we can use gdal_translate command. Here with the help of gdal_translate options with can also assign SRS (Spatial reference system) of output file.

–> gdalwarp -overwrite -to SRC_METHOD=NO_GEOTRANSFORM -t_srs EPSG:4326 Input_GRIB.grb -of netCDF Output_NETCDF.nc

GRIB Multi-dimensional Data

If you need any other information regarding multidimensional data such as NetCDF or HDF you can visit are tutorials and also comment in given comment box. We are always available for your help.