MPDAF - A Python package for the analysis of VLT/MUSE data

TL;DR

MPDAF is a Python package designed to facilitate the analysis of VLT/MUSE integral-field spectroscopic data, providing specialized tools built on common scientific Python libraries.

Contribution

This paper introduces MPDAF, a new Python framework that simplifies MUSE data analysis with tailored tools and examples, enhancing user capabilities.

Findings

Provides new Python tools for MUSE data analysis

Demonstrates usefulness through practical examples

Integrates well-known libraries for ease of use

Abstract

MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) is an integral-field spectrograph mounted on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile and made available to the European community since October 2014. The Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon has developed a dedicated software to help MUSE users analyze the reduced data. In this paper we introduce MPDAF, the MUSE Python Data Analysis Framework, based on several well-known Python libraries (Numpy, Scipy, Matplotlib, Astropy) which offers new tools to manipulate MUSE-specific data. We present different examples showing how this Python package may be useful for MUSE data analysis.