PyTransHelio: A Python tool for analyzing magnetic flux-weighted centroids of active regions and trans-equatorial loop footpoints in full-disk solar photospheric magnetograms
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Abstract
This paper introduces PyTransHelio, a Python-based graphical interface tool designed for solar physics research, which automates the calculation of magnetic flux-weighted centroid coordinates of active regions in full-disk magnetograms and supports the identification and analysis of footpoints in trans-equatorial loops. The tool addresses the operational complexity and lack of dedicated graphical user environments in traditional Interactive Data Language/SolarSoftWare workflows by integrating modules for magnetogram header parsing, three-coordinate system conversions (pixel/Stonyhurst/Carrington coordinates), automatic magnetic pole detection, and footpoint distance calculation, enabling end-to-end automation. Users can swiftly obtain active region centroid positions and trans-equatorial loop footpoint spacings through an intuitive three-step workflow: “Load → Click → Results.” Its modular architecture balances flexibility and extensibility as an open-source tool, significantly lowering the barrier to solar photospheric magnetogram analysis.
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