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OpenDrift is a software for modeling the trajectories and fate of particles (Lagrangian Elements) drifting in the ocean, or even in the atmosphere.
OpenDrift is open source, and is programmed in Python. As the software is very generic, it is more a "framework" than a "trajectory model" in the traditional sense. Trajectory models for specific purposes (e.g. oil drift, search and rescue, larvae drift etc) may reuse all common functionality from the core model, and need only implement a Python Class describing the purpose-specific processes (physics/biology etc). See Requirements and Data model for more detailed information.
- Open source, GPL v2 license, providing full transparency - no black boxes
- Very simple installation, core OpenDrift requires only Python standard libraries
- Platform independent, runs on Linux, Mac/OS X, Windows
- Modular, may simulate transport and fate of any kind of of particles (oil, ships, persons, icebergs etc.)
- May use input forcing data (e.g. current, wind and waves) from any model, in any file format and any map projection
- avoids need to preprocess driver data
- Input from ensemble models (comming soon)
- May run backwards in time by simply specifying a negative time step
OpenDrift is still in early development phase, and should not be used for real studies and applications. A stable first version is expected by the end of 2015.
OpenDrift can be downloaded with the command:
git clone https://github.com/knutfrode/opendrift.git
No installation is required for OpenDrift, but the following Python packages are required for some features:
- Basemap for plotting
- python-netcdf4 for obtaining driver data from Thredds servers and netCDF4 files.
OpenDrift may be tested by running some of the executable example scripts located in the opendrift folder. These examples will automatically download required wind and ocean current input data. If this works well, you may play with the model by editing the example scrips.
Here is an example of running the model.
OpenDrift is under development at MET Norway in cooperation with Institute of Marine Research. Please contact knutfd@met.no for any questions.