In contexts of solar physics

Solar physics

For the physics journal, see Solar Physics Solar physics is the study of our Sun. It is a branch of astrophysics that specializes in exploiting and explaining the detailed measurements that are possible only for our closest star...

 and data analysis

Data analysis

Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making...

, ana is a somewhat whimsically named computer language that is designed for array processing and image data analysis. The name is an acronym for "A Non Acronym". Ana began as a fork

Fork (software development)

In software engineering, a project fork happens when developers take a legal copy of source code from one software package and start independent development on it, creating a distinct piece of software...

 of an early version of IDL, but has diverged significantly since then. It is in common use at the Lockheed-Martin Space Applications Laboratory

Lockheed-Martin Space Applications Laboratory

The ' is part of the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center that is known primarily for its scientific work in the field of solar physics, astronomy and space weather...

 and at institutions that analyze data from the TRACE

TRACE

TRACE was a NASA space telescope designed to investigate the connections between fine-scale magnetic fields and the associated plasma structures on the Sun by providing high resolution images and observation of the solar photosphere and transition region to the corona...

 spacecraft, but is not commonly used elsewhere. Ana appears to be intended as free software

Free software

Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...

 though it is not distributed under a recognized FOSS

Foss

Foss may refer toPeople*Foss , people with the last name Foss*Foss Shanahan , New Zealand diplomat*Foss Westcott , English bishop...

 license. It is available as source code, primarily through the Solarsoft

Solarsoft

Solarsoft is a collaborative software development system created at Lockheed-Martin to support solar data analysis and spacecraft operation activities. It is widely recognized in the solar physics community as having revolutionized solar data analysis starting in the early 1990s...

 distribution system.

The most commonly used application written in ana is the TRACE image browser, which is designed for browsing and viewing time-lapse movies collected by TRACE

TRACE

TRACE was a NASA space telescope designed to investigate the connections between fine-scale magnetic fields and the associated plasma structures on the Sun by providing high resolution images and observation of the solar photosphere and transition region to the corona...

, SOHO

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory is a spacecraft built by a European industrial consortium led by Matra Marconi Space that was launched on a Lockheed Martin Atlas IIAS launch vehicle on December 2, 1995 to study the Sun, and has discovered over 2100 comets. It began normal operations in May...

, Yohkoh

Yohkoh

Yohkoh , known before launch as Solar-A, was a Solar observatory spacecraft of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science with United States and United Kingdom collaboration...

, and other observatories.

ANA homepage: http://ana.lmsal.com/