Generic Sensor Format (GSF)
GSF is designed to efficiently store and exchange information produced by geophysical measurement systems before it has been processed into either vector or raster form.
About Generic Sensor Format (GSF)
Generic Sensor Format (GSF) has become a standard file format for bathymetry data and is widely used in the maritime community. This single-file format is one of the U.S. Department of Defense Bathymetric Library (DoDBL) processing formats and is currently version-controlled jointly by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and the U.S. Navy.
GSF is designed to efficiently store and exchange information produced by geophysical measurement systems before it has been processed into either vector or raster form. The structure is particularly useful for data sets created by systems such as multibeam echosounders that collect a large quantity of data. GSF is designed to be modular and adaptable to meet the unique requirements of a variety of sensors.
The goals of GSF are:
- Portability among all major computing platforms.
- Extensibility so that new types of data and measurements can be easily incorporated.
- Efficiency in terms of storage volume and data access.
- Endorsement by the major groups of users outside the DoDBL.
- Consistency with other DoDBL formats.
The GSF format, and code to read it, is open source and is updated regularly to keep current with new technologies and uses. New releases of the GSF library are generally made once or twice each year. However, the frequency of updates to GSF in any particular year depends on technology advances within the community. New GSF releases provide an expansion of capability while preserving all previous capability.
A GSF version release includes the following items:
- GSF specification documentation
- GSF library (GSFlib) documentation
- Source code that comprise the GSF library (C language source code)
- GSF change request documents summarizing the approved updates for this release
GSF Release Versions
- Download version 2.09 »
GSFv2.09, released June 05, 2009 is an enhancement release that adds support for bathymetry data from the Klein 5410 interferometer. - Download version 2.08 »
GSFv2.08, released December 10, 2007 is a maintenance update that provides resolution of reported problems.
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Register here if you would like to be notified of release updates. New releases of the GSF library are generally made once or twice each year.
The GSF format, and code to read it, is open source and is updated regularly to keep current with new technologies and uses. New GSF releases provide an expansion of capability while preserving all previous capability.