Python Seawater

Introduction:

This python package contains a python translation for two MatlabTM Toolboxes.

(1) The CSIRO seawater toolbox (SEAWATER-3.3) for calculating the properties of sea water. The package uses the formulas from Unesco's joint panel on oceanographic tables and standards, UNESCO 1981 and UNESCO 1983 (EOS-80) .

The EOS-80 library is considered now obsolete; it is provided here for compatibility with old scripts and to allow a smooth transition to the new TEOS-10.

(2) The Gibbs Sea Water (GSW v3.0).

A oceanographic toolbox of the International Thermodynamic Equation Of Seawater - 2010, (TEOS-10).

Contains the functions for evaluating the thermodynamic properties of pure water (using IAPWS-09) and seawater (using IAPWS-08 for the saline part).

Compatibility:

We haven't made any thorough testing on this regard. However we have a few reports from users and our every day use.

The most stable configuration running the code has python 2.4.3 and numpy 1.2.1. The testing module need python >2.5. However, the major functions are OK with python 2.4.

Due to the use of decorators the code does not support python versions < 2.4. If you find yourself in that pickle you are on your own! However, due to the simple nature of the functions a quick-and-dirty adaptation can be made.

The code make the use of numpy's np.deg2rad, since that is an overkill (and a constraint for numpy > 1.2.1). We will slowly change that to a more friendly form like "rad = np.pi/180.0".

The npz file format used for the database might not be supported in older numpy versions, if you find yourself with that problem it might be the time to upgrade your numpy!

The code is quite flexible and portable, we have reports of people running the code inside AUV's such as the REMUS and Ocean Gliders. A hacker made it work even inside the Nokia's n900 (sorry Apple fans, no Iphone so far)!!!

For more information:

http://packages.python.org/seawater/

Just for fun a Gource video: