pyuvsim

Spec sheet

Purpose

pyuvsim is a Python package for accurate, extensible radio interferometer simulations, with a focus on precision needed for 21 cm cosmology.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Audience

The package is presented as a community simulation environment for radio interferometry research, designed to scale across many CPUs and support varied use cases.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Free plan

YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com

Support

Users are directed to the GitHub issue log for questions, bug reports, and feature requests.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

License

GitHub identifies the public pyuvsim repository as BSD-3-Clause licensed.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Assessment tools

NoRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com

Authoring tools

YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com

Beam models

Primary beams can use UVBeam or AnalyticBeam objects, and multiple beam models can be assigned across an array.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Data export

YesRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com

Delivery mode

desktopRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com

Distribution

The project documents installation using pip or directly from its GitHub repository.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Inputs

Simulations use observation times, frequencies, array configuration, source positions and brightnesses, and direction-dependent primary beam responses.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Installation

The package can be installed with pip, and simulator and optional features are enabled through install extras such as sim, all, healpix, casa, and moon.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Instrument modeling

It supports fully polarized instrument responses, full-sky fields of view, exact antenna positions, and varied beam models across an array.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Integration

pyuvsim represents array and observation configuration with UVData objects and sources with Source objects from the pyuvdata and pyradiosky ecosystem.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Intended science use

Its primary goal is simulation accuracy at the precision needed for 21 cm cosmology science.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Lesson library

NoRead 24 Sep 2026 · github.com

Maintainers

The documentation lists the RASG Managers as maintainers and names contributors affiliated with Arizona State University, the University of Washington, UC Berkeley, and Brown University.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Optional capabilities

Optional dependencies enable HEALPix catalogs or beams, CASA measurement set writing, plotting, and simulations of telescopes on the Moon.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Output formats

Simulation output can be written in formats supported by pyuvdata, including uvfits, MIRIAD, and uvh5.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Parallel computing

The simulator is intended to run on Linux clusters and supports MPI; the docs describe testing with Open MPI and MPICH on Linux and macOS, and MS-MPI on Windows.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Physical effects

The documented capabilities include polarized instrument response, full-sky fields of view, diffuse emission, arbitrary spectra, and lunar observatories; time-domain sources and ionospheric scintillation are listed as TODO.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Platform support

The project says it tests on Linux, macOS, and Windows, but casacore and lunarsky functionality is not supported on Windows.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Related packages

The documentation identifies pyuvdata, astropy, pyradiosky, and mpi4py among its dependencies, with mpi4py used to run simulations.Read 8 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Validation

The project describes testing against analytic calculations and standardized reference simulations, with validation for added physical effects.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Windows limitation

The documentation says casacore and lunarsky functionality are not supported on Windows.Read 9 Oct 2026 · pyuvsim.readthedocs.io

Where Specifiction places it

• Physics Simulation Software#41 of 897.7