Py6S

A Python interface to the 6S Radiative Transfer Model.
https://github.com/robintw/Py6S

Category: Atmosphere
Sub Category: Radiative Transfer

Keywords

atmosphere python radiative-transfer remote-sensing satellite science

Keywords from Contributors

earth-observation ocean-sciences gdal atmospheric-correction observation

Last synced: about 14 hours ago
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Repository metadata

A Python interface to the 6S Radiative Transfer Model

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/robintw/Py6S
• Owner: robintw
• License: lgpl-3.0
• Created: 2012-08-08T09:55:52.000Z (over 13 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2025-10-22T23:09:34.000Z (2 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-11-15T04:02:50.367Z (about 1 month ago)
• Topics: atmosphere, python, radiative-transfer, remote-sensing, satellite, science
• Language: Python
• Size: 1.36 MB
• Stars: 213
• Watchers: 20
• Forks: 112
• Open Issues: 19
• Releases: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.rst
  • License: COPYING
  • Citation: CITATION

README.rst

          .. image:: https://travis-ci.org/robintw/Py6S.svg?branch=master
    :target: https://travis-ci.org/robintw/Py6S
.. image:: https://coveralls.io/repos/github/robintw/Py6S/badge.svg
    :target: https://coveralls.io/github/robintw/Py6S

Introduction 
-------------
Py6S is a Python interface to the 6S Radiative Transfer Model. It allows you to run many 6S simulations using a
simple Python syntax, rather than dealing with the rather cryptic 6S input and output files. As well as generally
making it easier to use 6S, Py6S adds some new features:

* The ability to run many simulations easily and quickly, with no manual editing of input files
* The ability to run for many wavelengths and/or angles and easily plot the results
* The ability to import real-world data to parameterise 6S, from radiosonde measurements and AERONET sun photometer measurements

Py6S has been designed to be easy to use, and to work on the 'principle of least surprise'. Far more details are available in the rest of
this documentation, but a quick code example should give you an idea of what Py6S can do::

  # Import the Py6S module
  from Py6S import *
  # Create a SixS object
  s = SixS()
  # Set the wavelength to 0.675um
  s.wavelength = Wavelength(0.675)
  # Set the aerosol profile to Maritime
  s.aero_profile = AeroProfile.PredefinedType(AeroProfile.Maritime)
  # Run the model
  s.run()
  # Print some outputs
  print(s.outputs.pixel_reflectance, s.outputs.pixel_radiance, s.outputs.direct_solar_irradiance)
  # Run the model across the VNIR wavelengths, and plot the result
  wavelengths, results = SixSHelpers.Wavelengths.run_vnir(s, output_name='pixel_radiance')
  SixSHelpers.Wavelengths.plot_wavelengths(wavelengths, results, "Pixel radiance ($W/m^2$)")
  
This will produce the results shown below::

  0.283 112.095 667.589
  
Followed by an image containing a graph showing the result for each wavelength.

To use Py6S you will also need to compile and install the 6S executable. Please follow the installation instructions in the `documentation `_ to find out how to do this on Windows, OS X or Linux.

Py6S was described in a `journal article `_ which should be referenced if Py6S is used for producing outputs for a scientific report/publication.

This project was written as part of my PhD at the University of Southampton. The code is open-source,
released under the LGPL license, and is available at `Github `_.

I'm very interested in receiving feedback, bug reports and feature suggestions, so please email me at robin@rtwilson.com.

        

Citation (CITATION)

If you use Py6S in any academic work then you *must* cite the following paper:

Wilson, R. T., 2012, Py6S: A Python interface to the 6S radiative transfer model, Computers and Geosciences, 51, p166-171

The PDF of this paper is available at http://rtwilson.com/academic/Wilson_2012_Py6S_Paper.pdf


In BibTeX format:

@article{Wilson2013166,
title = "Py6S: A Python interface to the 6S radiative transfer model ",
journal = "Computers & Geosciences ",
volume = "51",
pages = "166 - 171",
year = "2013",
doi = "http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2012.08.002",
url = "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0098300412002798",
author = "R.T. Wilson"
}

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Owner metadata

• Name: Robin Wilson
• Login: robintw
• Email:
• Kind: user
• Description: Freelance data scientist and Python programmer, with particular expertise in geographic data and satellite images. Former academic.
• Website: www.rtwilson.com
• Location: Southampton, UK
• Twitter:
• Company: Freelance
• Icon url: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/296686?v=4
• Repositories: 157
• Last ynced at: 2025-10-10T13:39:45.635Z
• Profile URL: https://github.com/robintw

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GitHub Events

Total

• Issues event: 2
• Watch event: 20
• Issue comment event: 2
• Fork event: 4

Last Year

• Issues event: 2
• Watch event: 18
• Issue comment event: 2
• Fork event: 3

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Committers metadata

Last synced: about 1 month ago

Name	Email	Commits
Robin Wilson	r****n@r****m	548
MarcYin	m****o@g****m	8
Laurent Wandrebeck	lw@h****m	6
Daniel Clewley	d****y@g****m	6
Jose Gomez-Dans	j****s@g****m	4
Oliver Lopez	o****z@k****a	4
Pete Bunting	p****g@m****m	4
David Welch	d****h@g****m	3
Matthew Hanson	m****n@a****m	3
Panos Mavrogiorgos	p****9@g****m	2
XQiao	1****7@q****m	2
Blottiere Paul	b****l@g****m	1
Francisco Nemiña	f****a@g****m	1
vincentschut	s****t@s****l	1
David Welch	(****)	1
Simon Proud	s****d@p****k	1
marujore	r****o@g****m	1

Committer domains:

• physics.ox.ac.uk: 1
• sarvision.nl: 1
• qq.com: 1
• appliedgeosolutions.com: 1
• mac.com: 1
• kaust.edu.sa: 1
• hygeos.com: 1
• rtwilson.com: 1

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Issue and Pull Request metadata

Last synced: 2 months ago

More stats: https://issues.ecosyste.ms/repositories/lookup?url=https://github.com/robintw/Py6S

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Package metadata

• Total packages: 4
• Total downloads:
  • pypi: 5,839 last-month
• Total dependent packages: 5 (may contain duplicates)
• Total dependent repositories: 5 (may contain duplicates)
• Total versions: 59
• Total maintainers: 1

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Dependencies

Score: 16.95414765594843