[Paper Review] Astrophysics Source Code Library

Alice Allen, Kimberly DuPrie+4 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Dec 9, 2012

Astronomical Observations and InstrumentationEngineering1,242 citations

TL;DR

The Astrophysics Source Code Library (ASCL) is a free, online registry that indexes and citable source codes used in astronomy and astrophysics research. Since its 2010 relaunch, it has grown to over 500 codes, now indexed by ADS and integrated with APOD, enabling discoverability, citation, and community use in publications and preprints.

ABSTRACT

The Astrophysics Source Code Library (ASCL), founded in 1999, is a free on-line registry for source codes of interest to astronomers and astrophysicists. The library is housed on the discussion forum for Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) and can be accessed at http://ascl.net. The ASCL has a comprehensive listing that covers a significant number of the astrophysics source codes used to generate results published in or submitted to refereed journals and continues to grow. The ASCL currently has entries for over 500 codes; its records are citable and are indexed by ADS. The editors of the ASCL and members of its Advisory Committee were on hand at a demonstration table in the ADASS poster room to present the ASCL, accept code submissions, show how the ASCL is starting to be used by the astrophysics community, and take questions on and suggestions for improving the resource.

Motivation & Objective

• To create and maintain a centralized, free, and citable registry of source codes used in astronomy and astrophysics research.
• To improve the discoverability and long-term accessibility of astrophysics software by indexing it in major astronomical databases.
• To encourage authors to submit their research codes by increasing awareness and providing a stable, well-exposed platform.
• To support the scientific community by enabling citation of software, linking papers to their underlying code, and enhancing reproducibility.
• To grow the registry through active curation and community engagement, including submissions from authors and feedback from users.

Proposed method

• Hosting the ASCL on a phpBB forum platform to ensure stability and ease of use.
• Actively seeking and adding codes used in refereed journal publications or submissions, especially those not yet publicly available.
• Indexing ASCL entries in the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) to improve searchability and citation tracking.
• Leveraging the high-traffic Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) platform for ongoing visibility and exposure.
• Establishing an Advisory Committee to guide curation, ensure quality, and promote adoption across the astrophysics community.
• Using Google Analytics to monitor site activity and track growth in user engagement and pageviews.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can a centralized, citable registry improve the discoverability and reuse of astrophysics software?
• RQ2 What impact does hosting a code registry on a high-traffic platform like APOD have on user engagement and code submission rates?
• RQ3 To what extent are researchers citing ASCL-registered software in their publications and preprints?
• RQ4 How effective is community-driven curation in expanding the coverage and relevance of a software registry in astrophysics?
• RQ5 What role does integration with ADS and citation indexing play in enhancing the scholarly impact of research software?

Key findings

• As of October 31, 2012, the ASCL had indexed 546 source codes, making it the largest existing registry for astrophysics software.
• The ASCL is now indexed by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS), enabling citable entries and improved searchability.
• Pageviews for the ASCL site have shown an upward trend since 2011, with Google Analytics tracking steady growth in user activity.
• The majority of code entries (nearly all in the past two years) were added by editors, indicating active curation despite growing author submissions.
• ASCL entries are being used as citations in peer-reviewed papers, preprints, publication lists, and Google Scholar profiles.
• The integration with APOD and the use of a public forum have contributed to sustained visibility and ongoing community engagement.