Definition

Scientific data formats are structured and self-describing to allow N-dimensional data to be represented by a set of software libraries and self-describing, machine-independent data formats that support the creation, access, and sharing of array-oriented scientific data. The format is an open standard

Comments

Examples include CDF, HDF, netCDF

Source

NESDIS Data Management Lexicon and Related Terms 

Category

4. Data Stewardship words