Getting Started#

Welcome to GWpy! This guide will help you get up and running quickly.

📦 Installation

Install GWpy using conda or pip, and learn about system requirements.

Installation
âš¡ Quickstart

Your first GWpy program - load, filter, and plot gravitational-wave data.

Quickstart
💡 Key Concepts

Understand the core ideas behind GWpy’s design and data structures.

Key Concepts

What is GWpy?#

GWpy is a Python package for analyzing data from gravitational-wave detectors like LIGO and Virgo. It provides:

Easy Data Access

Read data from multiple sources including public archives, detector data systems, and file formats.

Powerful Analysis Tools

Filter signals, compute spectra, generate spectrograms, and more - all with simple Python methods.

Beautiful Visualizations

Create publication-quality plots with sensible defaults and extensive customization options.

Built on Standards

Extends NumPy, integrates with Astropy, and leverages SciPy and Matplotlib.

Quick Taste#

Here’s GWpy in action - detecting the first gravitational wave (GW150914):

from gwpy.timeseries import TimeSeries

# Get data around GW150914
hdata = TimeSeries.get("H1", 1126259446, 1126259478)

# Bandpass filter (50-250 Hz) and notch out mains power lines
filtered = hdata.bandpass(50, 250).notch(60).notch(120)

# Plot the result
plot = filtered.plot(
    xlim=(1126259461, 1126259463),
    ylim=(-1e-21, 1e-21),
)
plot.show()

(png)

../_images/getting-started-1.png

That’s it! In just 4 lines of code, you’ve downloaded real gravitational-wave data and prepared it for analysis.

Ready to Learn More?#

Install GWpy →

Start the Quickstart →

Need Help?#