SPECULA

Python AO end-to-end simulator

SPECULA is a Python-based, object-oriented software derived from PASSATA and developed by the Adaptive Optics group at the Arcetri Observatory for end-to-end Monte-Carlo simulations of adaptive optics systems. It can be accelerated using GPU-CUDA via CuPy.

See the documentation here: specula.readthedocs.io

Directories

docs: contains the documentation.
config: contains functions and parameter files to calibrate and run a closed loop of an adaptive optics system (single-conjugated, multi-conjugated, natural, laser, ...).
specula: the main library, structured as follows:
- data: data required by utility functions.
- data_objects: classes that wrap the data and provide methods to access them.
- display: classes for data visualization.
- lib: utility functions used by multiple objects.
- processing_objects: classes that model the simulation elements as a function of inputs and time.
- scripts: various scripts.
test: contains functions to test SPECULA using the unittest framework.

Requirements

Python 3.8+
numpy
scipy
matplotlib
flask
flask-socketio
socketio
scikit-image
cupy (for GPU acceleration, optional)
astro-seeing
symao
synim

Optional libraries

Some features require additional libraries:

orthogram: for automatic block diagram creation (see orthogram, requires pycairo)
control: for conversion of transfer function system in SPECULA format and vice-versa and analysis of transfer function

Contributing to SPECULA

To contribute to SPECULA, follow these steps:

Fork this repository.
Create a branch: git checkout -b <branch_name>
Make your changes and add tests for the new functionality.
Commit your changes: git commit -m '<commit_message>'
Push to the branch: git push
Create the pull request.

We require tests for all new features to ensure the stability of the project.

Citation

If you use SPECULA in your research, please cite:

@article{specula2026,
  author = {Fabio Rossi and Alfio Puglisi and Guido Agapito},
  title = {{Introducing a new generation adaptive optics simulation framework: from PASSATA to SPECULA}},
  volume = {12},
  journal = {Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems},
  number = {1},
  publisher = {SPIE},
  pages = {019001},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1117/1.JATIS.12.1.019001},
  URL = {https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JATIS.12.1.019001}
}

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