MGD-2000 Formats: XYZ03

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA, AND INFORMATION SERVICE

THE GEODAS BINARY INTEGER XYZ FORMAT - "XYZ03"

Compiled By:
Dan R. Metzger


National Geophysical Data Center
Boulder, Colorado
February, 2003


INTRODUCTION                   I

GENERAL DESCRIPTION            II

DATA RECORDS                   III

NGDC CONTACTS                  APPENDIX A


I.   INTRODUCTION



   In 2003 the Marine Geology & Geophysics Division of the
National Geophysical Data Center developed a simple, highly
efficient format for xyz data. This format can be used for most
geospacial potential field data.


II.   GENERAL DESCRIPTION

   The XYZ03 Format, is a digital format for the storage of xyz
geospacial potential field data.. It is very efficient format in
that it is binary and the record size (12 bytes) is small and yet
contains latitude and longitude precision sufficient for most
users.  The format contains no headers and thus no documentation
about the data (such as information about references, methods and
datums used, etc.).
   The XYZ03 format can be used for the exchange of xyz data,
using virtually any media type.


III.   DATA RECORDS

XYZ03 files consist of a series of binary records.  Each record
is 12 bytes and consists of 3 fields, each field being a 4-byte
binary integer.  These fields are longitude, latitude and value
as described below.

The following is a detailed description of the XYZ03 Data
Record fields


FIELD NAME     NUMBER TYPE     DESCRIPTION
________________________________________________________

Longitude      4 Byte Integer  Longitude of the
                               point, in millionths of degrees
                               (decimal degrees times 1,000,000)..


Latitude       4 Byte Integer  Latitude of the
                               point, in millionths of degrees
                               (decimal degrees times 1,000,000).

Value          4 Byte Integer  Value at the point,
                               in tenths of units.
                              

APPENDIX A   NGDC CONTACTS

Dan Metzger: (303) 497-6542  Dan.R.Metzger@noaa.gov

National Geophysical Data Center
NOAA, E/GC3
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305

TELEX 592811 NOAA MASC BDR
FAX (303) 497-6513

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