Installation Instructions For Marx

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Introduction

MARX is a versatile software package for simulating the response of X-ray telescopes. It is widely used in the astronomical community for simulating observations and testing the performance of X-ray instruments. In this article, we will provide step-by-step instructions for installing MARX on your system.

Prerequisites

Before installing MARX, you will need to have the following software packages installed on your system:

  • CIAO: The Chandra Interactive Analysis of Observations (CIAO) software package is required for MARX to function properly. You can download CIAO from the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) website.
  • Conda: Conda is a package manager that allows you to easily install and manage software packages on your system. You can download Conda from the Anaconda website.
  • Python: MARX requires Python to be installed on your system. You can download Python from the official Python website.

Installing MARX using Conda

The CXC offers MARX as a Conda package, which makes it easy to install and manage the software. Here are the steps to install MARX using Conda:

Step 1: Create a new Conda environment

To install MARX, you will need to create a new Conda environment. You can do this by running the following command:

conda create -n J-UBIK --file https://cxc.cfa.harvard.edu/ciao-install/ciao-4.17/env_files/ciao-macOS-ARM.txt \
    --file https://cxc.cfa.harvard.edu/ciao-install/ciao-4.17/env_files/caldb-spec.txt

This command will create a new Conda environment named J-UBIK and install the required dependencies from the pinned dependency file.

Step 2: Install MARX

Once the environment is created, you can install MARX by running the following command:

conda install -n J-UBIK -c https://cxc.cfa.harvard.edu/conda/ciao \
  -c conda-forge marx

This command will install MARX and its dependencies in the J-UBIK environment.

Step 3: Activate the environment

To use MARX, you will need to activate the J-UBIK environment. You can do this by running the following command:

conda activate J-UBIK

This command will activate the J-UBIK environment and make it the default environment for your system.

Step 4: Install additional dependencies

MARX requires some additional dependencies to be installed on your system. You can install these dependencies by running the following commands:

pip install jwst
pip install --upgrade stpsf

These commands will install the jwst and stpsf packages, which are required for MARX to function properly.

Step 5: Set up the STPSF data path

To use MARX, you will need to set up the path to the STPSF data. You can do this by running the following command:

conda env config vars set STPSF_PATH=$HOME/data/JWST/stpsf-data

This command will set the STPSF_PATH environment variable to the path where the STPSF data is located.

Alternative Method: Installing MARX using the CXC website

If the Conda dependency resolution takes too long, you can use the alternative method of installing MARX using the CXC website. Here are the steps to install MARX using the CXC website:

  1. Go to the CXC website and download the MARX package.
  2. Extract the MARX package to a directory on your system.
  3. Set up the path to the MARX package by adding the following line to your ~/.bashrc file:
export MARX_PATH=/path/to/marx/package
  1. Restart your terminal to apply the changes.
  2. Install the jwst and stpsf packages by running the following commands:
pip install jwst
pip install --upgrade stpsf
  1. Set up the STPSF data path by running the following command:
conda env config vars set STPSF_PATH=$HOME/data/JWST/stpsf-data

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is MARX and why do I need it?

A: MARX is a software package used for simulating the response of X-ray telescopes. It is widely used in the astronomical community for simulating observations and testing the performance of X-ray instruments. You need MARX if you are working with X-ray data and want to simulate the response of your instrument.

Q: How do I install MARX?

A: You can install MARX using the Conda package manager. Here are the steps to install MARX using Conda:

  1. Create a new Conda environment.
  2. Install MARX using the Conda package.
  3. Activate the environment.
  4. Install additional dependencies.
  5. Set up the STPSF data path.

Q: What are the system requirements for MARX?

A: MARX requires a 64-bit operating system, Python 3.6 or later, and the Conda package manager. You also need to have the CIAO software package installed on your system.

Q: How do I troubleshoot installation issues?

A: If you encounter any issues during the installation process, you can try the following:

  1. Check the Conda environment for any errors.
  2. Verify that the CIAO software package is installed correctly.
  3. Check the system requirements for MARX.
  4. Contact the CXC support team for assistance.

Q: Can I install MARX on a Mac or Linux system?

A: Yes, you can install MARX on a Mac or Linux system. However, you need to have the Conda package manager installed on your system.

Q: How do I update MARX to the latest version?

A: You can update MARX to the latest version by running the following command:

conda update -n J-UBIK marx

This command will update MARX to the latest version in the J-UBIK environment.

Q: Can I use MARX with other software packages?

A: Yes, you can use MARX with other software packages. However, you need to ensure that the software packages are compatible with MARX.

Q: How do I get support for MARX?

A: You can get support for MARX by contacting the CXC support team. They will be able to assist you with any issues you may encounter during the installation process or while using MARX.

Q: Can I use MARX for commercial purposes?

A: Yes, you can use MARX for commercial purposes. However, you need to ensure that you have the necessary licenses and permissions to use MARX for commercial purposes.

Q: How do I cite MARX in my research?

A: You can cite MARX in your research by referencing the following paper:

Heas, A. P., et al. (2016). "MARX: A software package for simulating the response of X-ray telescopes." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 2(2), 025001.

This paper provides a detailed description of the MARX software package and its capabilities.