Feature Request: Lightcurve Plotting Module

[leopfeiffer]

Hi everyone,

I would like to propose adding a built-in plotting module for lightcurve analysis in fermipy. Many existing analysis tools (e.g., SED, localization, counts maps) already generate diagnostic plots, and having a similar feature for lightcurves would be a nice addition. This would not only enhance usability but also be particularly helpful for educational purposes, as I often use fermipy with students to introduce them to Python and gamma-ray data analysis.

A possible implementation could follow the approach used in other modules, where in this case an optional argument like make_plots=True would be added when running gta.lightcurve(). Additionally, for faint sources, an option to adjust the detection threshold (e.g. plot_threshold in units of sqrt(TS) or TS) could be useful.

Of course, this would be feature for convenience, as lightcurves can always be plotted manually from FITS or NumPy files. However, for tutorials and quick diagnostics, an integrated plotting option would streamline the workflow and make the initial analysis more accessible.

From my understanding of the source code, this could potentially be implemented as an additional class (e.g., LCplotter) within fermipy.plotting.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and whether such a feature might be considered.

Best regards,
Leo