The Astrophysics Source Code Library (ASCL) is an online registry of scientist-written

software Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work. At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...

used in

astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...

astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline said, Astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the h ...

research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

. The primary objective of the ASCL is to make the software used in research available for examination to improve the transparency of research. Entries in the ASCL are indexed by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) and Web of Science's Data Citation Index and because each code is assigned a unique ascl ID, software can be cited in a journal paper even when there is no citable paper describing the code. Web of Science and ADS indexing makes research software more discoverable. Additionally, ADS can link some papers which use codes to the code entries, which makes it easier to examine the computational methods used. ADS also tracks citations for software (assuming the citations are formatted correctly), which can help research software authors for whom citations are an important measure. Entries in the ASCL include the name, description, author of the code, ascl ID, and either a link to a download site for the software or an attached archive file for the software so the code can be downloaded directly from the ASCL. A link to a paper describing or using the software is usually included as well to demonstrate that the software has been used in refereed research.

History

:* Established in 1999 by

Robert J. Nemiroff Robert J. Nemiroff is an Astrophysics, Astrophysicist and Professor of Physics at Michigan Technological University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1987 and his B.S. from Lehigh Universit ...

and John Wallin :* Migrated to APOD discussion forum Starship Asterisk* in 2010 :* Advisory committee formed in 2011 :* ADS started indexing entries in 2012 :* New database and site in production in 2014

Advisory Committee

Peter Teuben,

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

, Chair
Bruce Berriman, California Institute of Technology

Jessica Mink Jessica Mink (formerly Douglas John Mink) is an American software developer and a data archivist at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian. She was part of the team that discovered the rings around the planet Uranus. Early life a ...

, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

Michigan Technological University Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech, MTU, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Houghton, Michigan, founded in 1885 as the Michigan Mining School, the first post-secondary institution in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. ...

Rein Warmels,

European Southern Observatory The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, commonly referred to as the European Southern Observatory (ESO), is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental research organisation made up of 16 mem ...

Lior Shamir,

Lawrence Technological University Lawrence Technological University (LTU) (Lawrence Tech) is a private university in Southfield, Michigan. It was founded in 1932 in Highland Park, Michigan, as the Lawrence Institute of Technology (LIT) by Russell E. Lawrence. The university move ...

Keith Shortridge,

Australian Astronomical Observatory The Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO), formerly the Anglo-Australian Observatory, was an optical and near-infrared astronomy observatory with its headquarters in North Ryde in suburban Sydney, Australia. Originally funded jointly by the U ...

John Wallin, Middle Tennessee State University Previous Advisory Committee Members
Mark Taylor,

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

, UK (2011–2018)
Thomas Robitaille, Freelance (2016)
Robert J. Hanisch,

National Institute of Standards and Technology The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into physical sci ...

(2011–2015)

Editors

Editor: Alice Allen
Associate Editor: Kim DuPrie
Assistant Editor: Catherine Gosmeyer
Designer/Developer: Judy Schmidt

References

{{reflist

External links

Astrophysics Source Code Library

Astr''O''matic astronomical pipeline software

Astrosim Astro-Code Wiki

Cococubed.com

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Online

SkySoft Astronomical software directory
Astronomy websites Computer libraries Astronomy software

History

Advisory Committee

Editors

References

Further reading

External links