Short description of the GeoTIFF format
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a format for storage, transfer, display, and printing of raster images, such as clipart, logotypes, scanned documents. The TIFF imagery file format can be used to store and transfer digital satellite imagery, scanned aerial photos, elevation models, and scanned maps.
Looking into popularity of TIFF, many TIFF users those who were using TIFF format to store digital satellite images felt the requirement of somehow embedding Geographic information (latitude, longitude, map projection etc.) into TIFF file so that it can be used by various GIS packages with ease. This requirement prompted the development of GeoTIFF, the TIFF file that has geographic (or cartographic) data embedded as tags within the TIFF file.
GeoTIFF is a public domain metadata standard which allows georeferencing information to be embedded within a TIFF file. The potential additional information includes map projection, coordinate systems, ellipsoids, datums, and everything else necessary to establish the exact spatial reference for the file.
The Role of GeoJSON in SDDI
Currently, GeoTIFF files are not being used in the SSD project. However, it can be used as an important source of the Web Map Service and can be supported by a variety of implementations.
Format Specification
Specification documents: http://web.archive.org/web/20160403164508/http://www.remotesensing.org/geotiff/spec/geotiffhome.html