The Kepler Generalized Light Curve Simulation computes light output with respect to time for systems with multiple planets, stars and moons, based on the results of a nested-Keplerian simulation. The nested-Keplerian computes the positions of planets and moons with a variety of positions, inclinations, orbital phases, periods, etc., which is then converted into an (x, y) sky-projected position. This in turn is passed to the light-curve integrator, which calculates the amount of starlight blocked at each timestep and so constructs the lightcurve.

The processing_pipeline folder contains an earlier pipeline that works only for a single-planet, single-star case. This code can be run out-of-the-box but is slow and of limited capability. As of now, the nested-Keplerian code has been updated to interface directly with the light-curve integrator, meaning that it is possible to create usable and physically accurate light curves. In order to do this, please write a script along the lines of kepler16.py (the calls to general_transit.py can remain the same). I do not recommend using an integration step number below 30 due to jittering on the right-hand side, although lower numbers can be used for sanity checks.

##Features

• Seamless transition from nested-Keplerian to integrator. Optimize selections of planets and stars for integration (does not calculate light curves of planets) to ensure minimal computation time.
• Low jittering on the right-hand-side (-pi/2 < theta < pi/2) of a star.
• Works with a wide range of limb-darkening laws.
• Allows any closed Keplerian orbit, including retrograde (add pi radians to inclination and argument of periastron).

##Todo

• Make further optimizations and accuracy adjustments in the code (use numpy wherever possible, unroll excessively deep/long loops, etc.)
• Produce professional-quality visualizations to demonstrate working of program.
• Test finer-combed models to look for TTVs.
• Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to find planet transits from data.

For a more complete and up-to-date list of issues, please look at the Issues tab, and add in any issues that you notice.