Software Matrix
To facilitate access and long-term usability of the software adopted and developed within EXOHOST, we have compiled a software matrix. This resource provides a structured overview of each tool and consolidates all relevant information in one place. The matrix makes it easier for early-career researchers to identify suitable codes for specific tasks and helps ensure that the knowledge and tools introduced by EXOHOST remain accessible and exploitable beyond the lifetime of the project.
Software tools that were developed or amended with EXOHOST support are highlighted in bold.
| Software | Public | Description | Links | Publications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stellar spectroscopy | ||||
| Spectroscopy-Toolbox | ☑ | The python based software can be used for data diagnostics, developing linelists and other tools with option to add more tools as needed. | https://github.com/Sandipan-Borthakur/spectroscopy-toolbox | Borthakur et al. In preparation |
| TOFFES-DRP | ☑ | TOFFES-DRP is the data reduction pipeline based on the PyReduce package. PyReduce is an echelle data reduction algorithm. It is a Python port of the popular IDL data reduction package REDUCE. |
https://github.com/Sandipan-Borthakur/TOFFES-DRP https://pyreduce-astro.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html |
Borthakur et al. In preparation Piskunov & Valenti 2002, A&A 385, 1095 Piskunov et al. 2021, A&A, 646, A32 |
| ZMCwrap | ☑ | ZMCwrap uses a Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach to estimating stellar parameters and chemical abundances, based on an input observation. ZMCwrap is a Python wrapper around the Zeeman spectral synthesis code, and uses the emcee package for an MCMC sampler. |
https://github.com/folsomcp/ZMCwrap https://github.com/folsomcp/ZMCwrap/blob/main/README.md |
Folsom et al. In preparation |
| Zeeman | ☐ | Zeeman is a Fortran based LTE spectral synthesis code. It uses an input 1D model atmosphere and line list, and performs radiative transfer through the atmosphere. Zeeman can model magnetic and non-magnetic stars, with detailed chemical abundances, rotation, and turbulent velocities. | Software is not public |
Landstreet 1988, ApJ 326, 967 Wade et al. 2001, A&A 374, 265 Folsom et al. 2012, MNRAS 422, 2072 |
| Zeeman+ (lma) | ☐ | Zeeman spectral synthesis code extended with a fitting routine, which can be used for estimating stellar parameters and abundances. This uses a chi squared minimization routine, adds interpolation between model atmospheres, and is still written in Fortran. This uses an observed spectrum as input, and typically uses a grid of model atmospheres to estimate Teff and logg. | Software is not public | Folsom et al. 2012, MNRAS 422, 2072 |
| normPlot | ☑ | A tool for continuum normalizing echelle spectra of stars. Can be used as part of SpecpolFlow, or as a stand-alone tool. |
https://github.com/folsomcp/normPlot https://folsomcp.github.io/specpolFlow/Tutorials/2-Normalizing_Tutorial.html |
Folsom et al. 2025. Zenodo |
| SpecpolFlow | ☑ | A set of tools for analyzing reduced spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric data. Contains a set of Python functions and classes, and also a command line interface. Includes tools for coadding spectra, calculating radial velocities, calculating line bisectors, calculating LSD profiles, generating LSD masks, reading and processing VALD line lists. The version currently in beta adds tools for calculating equivalent widths, plotting VALD line lists. |
https://github.com/folsomcp/specpolFlow https://folsomcp.github.io/specpolFlow/ |
Folsom, Erba, et al., 2025. Journal of Open Source Software, 10(111), 7891 Folsom, Erba, et al., 2025. Zenodo |
| SUPPNet | ☑ | Spectrum normalisation neural network (SUPPNet) is a python based continuum normalisation code which is used to identify the continuum of an unnormalised stellar spectrum. |
https://github.com/RozanskiT/suppnet https://rozanskit.com/suppnet/ |
Różański, et al., 2022, A&A, 659, A199 |
| iSpec | ☑ | A versatile tool for the treatment and analysis of stellar spectra. Its main functionalities include cosmic ray removal, continuum normalisation, resolution degradation, radial velocity determination and correction, telluric line identification, and re-sampling. |
https://github.com/marblestation/iSpec https://www.blancocuaresma.com/s/iSpec/manual/usage |
Blanco-Cuaresma et al. 2014, A&A 569, A111 |
| MESA | ☑ | Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) is a widely used stellar evolution code with multiple options for modelling stars and tracking their parameters and compositions. It can simulate processes such as accretion, rotational mixing, and other mixing mechanisms, making it a flexible tool for studying stellar structure and evolution. |
https://docs.mesastar.org/en/latest/installation.html https://docs.mesastar.org/en/latest/index.html |
https://github.com/MESAHub/mesa/blob/main/CITATIONS.bib |
| Exoplanets and protoplanetary discs | ||||
| Chemcomp | ☑ | Chemcomp is a python-based 1-D protoplanetary disk evolution code which tracks the disk chemistry with options to add formation of planets and track planetary atmospheric composition. |
https://github.com/AaronDavidSchneider/chemcomp https://chemcomp.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ |
Schneider & Bitsch 2021a, A&A, 654, A71 Schneider & Bitsch 2021b, A&A, 654, A72 |
| TauREx 3 | ☑ | TauREx 3 (Tau Retrieval for Exoplanets) is an open-source fully Bayesian inverse atmospheric retrieval framework. |
https://github.com/ucl-exoplanets/taurex3 https://github.com/ucl-exoplanets/taurex-playground |
https://taurex3.readthedocs.io/en/latest/citation.html#citations |
| petitRADTRANS | ☑ | pRT is a Python package for calculating spectra of exoplanets and for running retrievals |
https://gitlab.com/mauricemolli/petitRADTRANS https://petitradtrans.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ |
Mollière et al. 2019, A&A 627, A67 |
| sponchpop | ☐ | In development synthetic planet population code, which has modular and easy coding. | Not released yet | Kama et al. in preparation |
| Exo_k | ☑ | Exo_k is a Python 3 based library to handle radiative opacities from various sources for atmospheric applications. It now comes with a full-fledged 1D atmospheric evolution model. | http://perso.astrophy.u-bordeaux.fr/~jleconte/exo_k-doc/index.html | Leconte 2021, A&A 645, A20 |
| VPLanet | ☑ | VPLanet simulates planetary system evolution with a single executable: 1) thermal and magnetic evolution of terrestrial planets, 2) magma oceans, 3) radiogenic heating of interiors, 4) tidal effects, 5) rotational axis evolution, 6) stellar evolution, including pre-MS, XUV, and spin-down, 7) stellar flares, 8) climate via a 1-D EBM, 9) atmospheric escape, including water photolysis and H escape, 10) approximate orbital evolution, 11) exact orbital evolution, 12) circumbinary planet orbits, and 13) galactic perturbations on planetary systems. The code is validated by reproducing selected Solar System, exoplanet, and binary star properties. |
https://github.com/VirtualPlanetaryLaboratory/vplanet https://www.youtube.com/@VPLanetCode/playlists |
Barnes et al. 2020, PASP 132, id. 024502 |
| Pyrat Bay | ☑ | The Pyrat Bay framework is an open-source pack for exoplanet atmospheric modeling, spectral synthesis, and Bayesian retrieval. The modular design of the code allows the users to generate atmospheric 1D parametric models of the temperature, abundances (equilibrium or constant profiles), and altitude profiles in hydrostatic equilibrium; sample ExoMol and HITRAN line-by-line cross sections with custom resolving power and line-wing cutoff values; compute emission or transmission spectra considering cross sections from molecular line transitions, collision-induced absorption, Rayleigh scattering, gray clouds, and alkali resonance lines; and perform Markov chain Monte Carlo atmospheric retrievals. |
https://github.com/pcubillos/pyratbay https://pyratbay.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html |
Cubillos & Blecic 2021, MNRAS 505, 2675 |
| photochem | ☑ | Photochem is a photochemical and climate model of a planet’s atmosphere. Given inputs, like the stellar UV flux, the atmospheric temperature structure, etc., this code will find the steady-state chemical composition of an atmosphere, or evolve atmospheres through time. The code also contains 1-D climate models. |
https://github.com/Nicholaswogan/photochem#readme https://github.com/Nicholaswogan/UofA_Photochem_Workshop |
Wogan et al 2023, Planet. Sci. J. 4, 169 Wogan et al. 2024, ApJL 963, L7 |
| batman | ☑ | Python package for fast calculation of exoplanet transit light curves. |
https://github.com/lkreidberg/batman https://lkreidberg.github.io/batman/docs/html/index.html |
Kreidberg 2015, PASP 127, 1161 |
| PyLightcurve | ☑ | A python package for analysing exoplanet light-curves. | https://github.com/ucl-exoplanets/pylightcurve | Tsiaras et al. 2016, ApJ 832, 202 |
| PyLightcurve-torch | ☑ | An exoplanet transit modelling package for deep learning applications in Pytorch. |
https://github.com/ucl-exoplanets/pylightcurve-torch https://github.com/mariomorvan/pylightcurve-torch-tutorials |
Morvan et al. 2021, PASP 133, 034505 |
| Data reduction and analysis tools | ||||
| Astropy | ☑ | General Python data processing and analysis package for astronomy, has many affiliated packages | https://www.astropy.org | https://www.astropy.org/credits.html |
| AstroImageJ | ☑ | Astronomical photometry extensions for ImageJ | https://astroimagej.com/ | Collins, Kielkopf, Stassun, and Hessman 2017, AJ, 153, 77 |
| Aladin | ☑ | Sky atlas allowing incorporate VO data | https://aladin.cds.unistra.fr/ | 2000A&AS..143…33B (Aladin Desktop), 2014ASPC..485..277B (Aladin Lite v2), and 2022ASPC..532….7B (Aladin Lite v3) |
| HOPS | ☑ | Exoplanet photometry program for EXOCLOCK project |
https://www.exoworldsspies.com/en/software/ https://github.com/ExoWorldsSpies/hops/ |
|
| SaoImage DS9 | ☑ | General FITS file viewer | https://sites.google.com/cfa.harvard.edu/saoimageds9 | Joye & Mandel 2003, ASPC 295, 489 |
| IRAF | ☑ | IRAF is the Image Reduction and Analysis Facility, a general purpose software system for the reduction and analysis of astronomical data. |
https://iraf-community.github.io/ https://iraf.readthedocs.io/ https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5816743 |
Tody, D., 1986, SPIE, 627, 733 Tody, D., 1993, ASPC, 52, 173 |
| Eureka! | ☑ | Eureka! is a data reduction and analysis pipeline for exoplanet time-series observations, with a particular focus on JWST data. |
https://github.com/kevin218/Eureka https://eurekadocs.readthedocs.io/en/v1.0/ |
Bell et al. 2022, Journal of Open Source Software, 7(79), 4503. |
