PyTOPKAPI is a BSD licensed Python library implementing the TOPKAPI Hydrological model (Liu and Todini, 2002). The model is a physically-based and fully distributed hydrological model, which has already been successfully applied in several countries around the world (e.g. Liu and Todini, 2002; Bartholomes and Todini, 2005; Liu et al., 2005; Martina et al., 2006; Vischel et al., 2008a/b).
Download the latest release
The PyTOPKAPI package currently consists of pure Python code and does not require any extension modules to be built. However, the model depends on a number of 3rd party Python packages with compiled code linking to external libraries. These are most easily managed using the conda package manager from Anaconda.
Once Anaconda is installed, a conda environment with the pre-requisite Python packages can be created and activated [this should be done from the root of the unpacked PyTOPKAPI archive]:
$ conda env create -f conda-env.yaml
$ source activate pytopkapi-0.4.x
PyTOPKAPI can be installed into the conda environment using pip [note the 'dot' at the end, which refers to the current directory]:
$ pip install --upgrade .
The package tests can be run as follows:
$ nosetests
An example simulation can be run from the example_simulation directory:
$ cd example_simulation
$ python run_example.py
The most recent documentation for PyTOPKAPI can be found at http://sahg.github.io/PyTOPKAPI/
Latest release:
Selected publications:
Sinclair S. and Pegram G.G.S., (2010), "A comparison of ASCAT and modeled soil moisture over South Africa, using TOPKAPI in land surface mode", Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 613-626. Full Text via CrossRef
Sinclair S. and Pegram G.G.S., (2013), "A sensitivity assessment of the TOPKAPI model with an added infiltration module", J. Hydrol., 479, 100-112. Full Text via CrossRef
Vischel T., Pegram G.G.S., Sinclair S. and Parak M., (2008a), "Implementation of the TOPKAPI model in South Africa: Initial results from the Liebenbergsvlei catchment", Water SA, 34(3), 1-12. Full Text
Vischel T., Pegram G.G.S., Sinclair S., Wagner W. and Bartsch A., (2008b), "Comparison of soil moisture fields estimated by catchment modelling and remote sensing: a case study in South Africa", Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 12, 751-767. Full Text via CrossRef