MSISE-00 in Python and Matlab

NRL MSISE-00 atmospheric model for Python ≥ 3.6, also accessible via Matlab. Valid from altitude z = 0..1000 km.

The plot immediately below shows a slice at 200km on a world-wide grid. The yellow ball represents the sun footprint on Earth.

This plot is from Matlab calling MSISE00:

Install

This process is used for the Python and Matlab access to MSIS.

1. Any Fortran compiler should work. Fortran compiler may be installed by

   • Mac: brew install gcc
   • Linux: apt install gfortran
   • Windows

2. get MSISE00 and install Python package

   git clone https://github.com/scivision/msise00
   
   cd msise00
   
   python3 -m pip install -e .
   

3. one-time compilation step requires either CMake or Meson (details below).

   python3 -c "import msise00; msise00.build()"
   

CMake install

• Linux: Download/build/install Cmake 3 using cmake_setup.sh
• Mac: brew install cmake or use .dmg installer
• Windows: use Windows win64-x64 installer

Meson install

python3 -m pip install meson

extract Ninja and put it on your system path.

Examples

MSISE00 can be used from the command line, as an imported module, and even from Matlab.

import module

import msise00
from datetime import datetime

atmos = msise00.run(time=datetime(2013, 3, 31, 12), altkm=150., glat=65., glon=-148.)

atmos is an xarray.Dataset containing all the simulation output values. atmos is 4-D: (time, altitude, lat, lon), and indexed like atmos['N2']

Command Line

Write NetCDF4 output (HDF5 compatible) with command line argument -w filename.nc.

Simple examples include:

• AltitudeProfile.py

• TimeProfile.py

• Worldgrid.py

• Altitude Profile at a single time:

  MSISE00.py -t 2017-08-21T20:48 -c 40 -90
  

• Alt. profile time-range with hourly time step:

  MSISE00.py -t 2017-08-21 2017-08-22 -c 40 -90
  

• Grid: time,lat,lon: generates the plots in the README:

  MSISE00.py -t 2016-09-20 2016-09-21
  

• single time lat/lon can be plotted:

  MSISE00.py -t 2017-01-02T12
  

Matlab

Matlab and GNU Octave users can seamlessly access Python modules, as demonstrated in AltitudeProfile.m and msise00.m.

1. Install MSISe00 by running setup_msise00.m
2. From Matlab, verify everything is working by from the msise00/ directory:

   runtests('tests')
   

Time Utiliies

Time utilities of general interest include:

• msise00.todatetime
• msise00.todt64

Fortran source

The MSISE00 Fortran source code may also be used directly. We have provided for easy code reuse in CMake and Meson projects.

Reference

• Original fortran code
• 1200+ citations 2002 paper