---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'PlasmaPy Community Meeting | Tuesday 2021 April 06 at 18:00 UT'
tags: [community, ' minutes']

---

---
tags: community, minutes
---

# PlasmaPy Community Meeting | Tuesday 2021 April 06 at 18:00 UT

[![hackmd-github-sync-badge](https://hackmd.io/xVkCIVAOR8ajtSmT8FYfew/badge)](https://hackmd.io/xVkCIVAOR8ajtSmT8FYfew)


### Video Conference Information
* [Jitsi video conference link](https://meet.jit.si/plasmapy) with [call-in information](https://meet.jit.si/static/dialInInfo.html?room=plasmapy) 
* Instant messaging: [Matrix](https://app.element.io/#/room/#plasmapy:openastronomy.org) and [Gitter](https://gitter.im/PlasmaPy/Lobby)
* [GitHub Minutes Repository](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/plasmapy-project/tree/master/minutes)
    * ["Community" Sub-directory](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/plasmapy-project/tree/master/minutes/_community)
* [PlasmaPy on GitHub](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/plasmapy) ([pull requests](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/plasmapy/pulls), [issues](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/plasmapy/issues))
* [PlasmaPy Enhancement Proposals on GitHub](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy-PLEPs) 
* [PlasmaPy Google Calendar](https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=bzVsb3ZkcW0zaWxsam00ZTlrMDd2cmw5bWdAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ)

## Agenda (please feel free to edit or add items)

1. Introductions
2. 10-15 minutes for roadmap
    * drafting [roadmap](https://hackmd.io/@plasmapy/ry0mmnj6v/edit)
3. solicit "Project Issues"
4. Creating a `plasmapy-sphinx` documentation package
    * should be a long term goal
    * our own adaption of `sphinx_automodapi` (which I [Erik] will discuss)
5. Tagging PR titles (e.g. WIP, PROTO, proposal, etc.)
    * thoughts, usefulness, etc.
    * Should we pick it up as a common habit or just let it happen when it happens?
    * Related possibility: GitHub labels
6. KamodofyPlasmaPy
    * update from this week's Python in Heliophysics Community mtg
    * <https://github.com/nasa/Kamodo>
    * <https://github.com/rebeccaringuette/KamodofyPlasmaPy>
8. ...
9. Issues
    1. [#1097](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/issues/1097) Formulary organization
    2. ...
10. Pull requests in progress 
    1. ~~[PR 923](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/923): Test Helpers #4~~
    2.  [PR 974](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/974): Thomson Scattering fitting
        * waiting on lite functions and, as a consequence, improved documentation with PlasmaPy's adaption of `automodapi`
    3. [PR 978](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/978): nuclear cross-sections & rates
    4. [PR 979](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/979): Relativistic Boris Pusher
    5. [PR 1000](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1000): Paschen Curve
    6. [PR 1010](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1010): `Species` class, take 2
    7. [PR 1057](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1057): `@particle_input` refactor
    8. [PR 1062](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1062): pydocstyle
    9. [PR 1084](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1084): Chandrasekhar G function
    10. [PR 1085](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1085): Optimizing formulary functions
    11. [PR 1091](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1091): `SymbolicEquilibrium` (early WIP)
    12. [PR 1093](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1093): Refactor out `run_test`, `run_test_equivalent_calls`
    13. [PR 1095](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1095): Greeter bot for new contributors
    14. [PR 1096](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1096): ParticleTracker refactoring (again!)
    15. [PR 1098](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1098): Framework for "lite"-weight formulary functions
    16. [PR 1100](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1100): Create sphinx directive `automod_aliases`
11. Pull requests **MERGED**
    1. [PR 1094](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/1094): Add stale bot for PR
    2. 
    
## Attendees

* Erik
* Nick
* Peter
* Dominik

## Action Items

***Erik***
> ***Continuation***
> * Open "Project Issue" on the distribution functions
> * refine roadmap for next weeks discussion
> * add OMFIT to affiliated pkgs
* Keep reviewing [PR 1000]
    * waiting on refactor before adding RTD stuff
* determine status for Khalil's old PRs
* open an Issue for a lexicon of formulary parameters...physical parameter being represented, parameter symbol, docstring description
* ~~Create PR for speeding up `validate_quantities`~~ Moving to "lite" functions instead

***Dominik***
> ***Continuation***
> * add feedback to roadmap items "Transport" and "Particle Tracker"
> * Write tests, check formula for [PR 979](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/979) - "Relativistic Boris Pusher"
>    * started on this
> * PR on `plasmapy.plasma.geometry` for [exact Solov'ev equlibrium with an arbitrary boundary](https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.04449.pdf)
* Investigate GitHub Actions new contributor bot for automatically adding comments for new contributors adding a PR (or the like).
    * message to users that checks don't need to pass right away (we'll work together to get things refined)
    * how to run pre-commit `isort` and `black`
* Review [PR 923](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/pull/923)

***Nick***
> ***Continuation***
> * add feedback to roadmap items "Workshop" and "Simulations"
* put some effort towards the dev guide
* Take back up forming simulation working group
* Email reminder for Hackathon meeting on Friday

## Minutes

* Documentation magic
    * further work from #1100
    * our own sphinx extensions
    * plasmapy-sphinx package?
    * most redone from automodapi
    * but also made easier to extend; converted function to classes;
    * drop-in replaces astropy extension with ours
    * currently: automodsum2 + stub file generation
    * closer to sphinx style than astropy extension is!
    * `:groups: all` (classes, functions, variables, )
    * `:groups: modules` planned but not working right now
    * lite functions, aliases grouped using `__flites__`, `__aliases__` dunders that work exactly like `__all__`
    * extensible; eventually configurable through conf.py
    * could potentially obsolete our `api_static` directory
    * goes far enough to be breaking from astropy version
        * might eventually upstream to astropy's automodapi, but by default, offered as a separate thing
    * Erik hopes to have it done in the coming week
        * will close #1100, open up a new one
        * Peter wants to wait with Thompson stuff for that; no rush
            * cheers to Derek, current user of the PR branch
* "Erik's OCD is a powerful natural resource that we should exploit"
* PR labels/WIP/PROTO tags
    * Erik: "`Prototype` is not necessarily up for merging; just to convey or demonstrate an idea"
    * labels are hard to visually grep
    * emoji are a possible visual identifier;
    * proposal label for issues?
* [Kamodo](https://github.com/nasa/Kamodo)
    * heliophysics package
    * viz
    * stitches packages together
    * Rebecca (posted a few months ago) [kamodofied plasmapy functions (common format)](https://github.com/rebeccaringuette/KamodofyPlasmaPy)
    * issue that came up: if there's a latex symbol "attached" to a function, they could use it and automatically render 
        * is there a prev implementation of that?
    * 
    * `__latex_str__` attribute? could be useful outside of kamodo 
    * [link to PyHC telecon video](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QhjwCAw7AgZUVLYbaRvX31hPUQajwyM-/view?usp=sharing)
* Peter has been dealing with classical transport recently; wanted to implement Epperlein-Haines?
    * [Issue #311](https://github.com/PlasmaPy/PlasmaPy/issues/311) from March 2018
    * We should definitely have a `formulary/transport` subpackage
    * need to keep Peter in the loop! Nick also wants to be part of the discussion
    * Level 5 project issue with a checklist for multiple transport models etc
* keeping data in the package - moving from polynomial fits, towards lookup tables?
    * storing data in...?
    * @StanczakDominik TODO: how to host an open scientific database?
    * David's undergraduates working on the calculator - might need a dynamic site