nbrown140/paleorbitals

Python library to compute and analyze paleo-insolations

PaleOrbitals

Python library to compute and analyze paleo-insolations.

Written in Python2.7

Depends on Python libraries:

• standard python libraries (math,...)
• numpy, scipy
• numba (to accelerate loops through large arrays)

This project is meant to be a simple-to-use Python library with functions that can compute daily, monthly or annual average insolation values for any latitude on Earth at any point in time within the range of -50 Myrs to + 20 Myrs (available through the Laskar2004 orbital parameters dataset: http://www.imcce.fr/Equipes/ASD/insola/earth/earth.html).

It would be nice to have a few methods of computing the same insolation values to test the method-dependence of output insolations. Right now, the only method available is based on Laskar2004's fortran program: http://www.imcce.fr/Equipes/ASD/insola/earth/La2004/index.html

Another addition would be functions for the statistical analysis of insolation output. I'm thinking moslty of like power spectrum time series of insolation as a function of latitude.But, the main objective of the library is to easily produce useful insolation values from latitude and time (or orbital parameters directly). The analyzing and plotting can be done outside this library.

Finally, it would be ideal to have an ipython-notebook that goes though all the calculations in detail.

paleorbitals's Issues

Speed up insolation calculations

1. Use numpy integrated functions instead of loops
2. Add Numba to relevant functions

Add error handling for out-of-bounds inputs to all functions in insol_fcts.py

E.g. function cwj(...), should throw an error if obliquity, longitudes and latitude are not in the corrrect bounds. obliquity should be between 22 and 24.5 degrees, etc...

Rewrite buggy insol functions

Use literature (i.e. Berger articles) to rewrite relevant insol funcions

Make jupyter notebook that explanains general theory and each function

Look Lorena Barba's notebooks for good kind of format: https://github.com/barbagroup/CFDPython

Reformat docstrings

• Format docstrings to be more like official documentation docstrings.
• After testing functions, add units for each input and output. Could be useful to look at what the fortran program prompts the user to input, as it might specify units.