Parcels
Parcels (Probably A Really Computationally Efficient Lagrangian Simulator) is a set of Python classes and methods to create customisable particle tracking simulations using output from Ocean Circulation models. Parcels can be used to track passive and active particulates such as plastic and fish.
Cite this software
Description
Parcels
Parcels (Probably A Really Computationally Efficient Lagrangian Simulator) is a set of Python classes and methods to create customisable particle tracking simulations using output from Ocean Circulation models. Parcels can be used to track passive and active particulates such as water, plankton, plastic and fish.

Animation of virtual particles carried by ocean surface flow in the global oceans. The particles are advected with Parcels in data from the NEMO Ocean Model.
Parcels manuscript and code
The manuscript detailing the first release of Parcels, version 0.9, has been published in Geoscientific Model Development and can be cited as
Lange, M and E van Sebille (2017) Parcels v0.9: prototyping a Lagrangian Ocean Analysis framework for the petascale age. Geoscientific Model Development, 10, 4175-4186. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2017-167
The manuscript detailing version 2.0 of Parcels is available at Geoscientific Model Development and can be cited as:
Delandmeter, P and E van Sebille (2019) The Parcels v2.0 Lagrangian framework: new field interpolation schemes. Geoscientific Model Development, 12, 3571-3584. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3571-2019
The manuscript detailing the performance of Parcels v2.4 is available at Computers & Geosciences and can be cited as:
Kehl, C, PD Nooteboom, MLA Kaandorp and E van Sebille (2023) Efficiently simulating Lagrangian particles in large-scale ocean flows — Data structures and their impact on geophysical applications, Computers and Geosciences, 175, 105322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2023.105322
Further information
See oceanparcels.org for further information about installing and running the Parcels code, as well as extended documentation of the methods and classes.
Contributors
All contributions are welcome! See the contributing page in our documentation to see how to get involved. Image made with contrib.rocks.
Participating organisations
Mentions
Getting started with Parcels: general structure
- 1.Author(s): Giovanni Seijo‐Ellis, Donata Giglio, Haydee SalmunPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202310.1029/2022jc018709
- 2.Author(s): Marta Martín-Rey, Ignasi Vallès-Casanova, Josep L. PelegríPublished in Journal of Climate by American Meteorological Society in 2023, page: 2625-264310.1175/jcli-d-22-0184.1
- 3.Author(s): Noam S. Vogt-Vincent, April J. Burt, David M. Kaplan, Satoshi Mitarai, Lindsay A. Turnbull, Helen L. JohnsonPublished in Marine Pollution Bulletin by Elsevier BV in 2023, page: 11449710.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114497
- 4.Author(s): Federica Guerrini, Delphine Lobelle, Lorenzo Mari, Renato Casagrandi, Erik van SebillePublished in Limnology and Oceanography by Wiley in 2023, page: 1078-109010.1002/lno.12330
- 5.Author(s): Shi-Ming ChenPublished in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering by MDPI AG in 2023, page: 10910.3390/jmse11010109
- 6.Author(s): Viviane V. MenezesPublished in Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography by Elsevier BV in 2023, page: 10528910.1016/j.dsr2.2023.105289
- 7.Author(s): Ove Pärn, Diego Macias Moy, Adolf StipsPublished in Marine Pollution Bulletin by Elsevier BV in 2023, page: 11486410.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114864
- 8.Author(s): Hannah R. S. Dawson, Adele K. Morrison, Matthew H. England, Veronica TamsittPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202310.1029/2022jc018962
- 9.Author(s): Ove Pärn, Lina Davulienė, Diego Macias Moy, Kaimo Vahter, Adolf Stips, Tomas TorsvikPublished in Oceanologia by Instytut Oceanologii PAN in 2023, page: 453-46510.1016/j.oceano.2023.02.001
- 10.Author(s): Peter D. Nooteboom, Joe Scutt Phillips, Christian Kehl, Simon Nicol, Erik van SebillePublished in Ecological Modelling by Elsevier BV in 2023, page: 11018810.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110188
- 11.Author(s): Noam S. Vogt-Vincent, Helen L. JohnsonPublished in Geoscientific Model Development by Copernicus GmbH in 2023, page: 1163-117810.5194/gmd-16-1163-2023
- 12.Author(s): Heidi K. Hirsh, Thomas A. Oliver, Hannah C. Barkley, Johanna L. K. Wren, Stephen G. Monismith, Derek P. Manzello, Ian C. EnochsPublished in Aquatic Geochemistry by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in 2023, page: 73-9410.1007/s10498-023-09411-6
- 13.Author(s): Darshika Manral, Doroteaciro Iovino, Olivier Jaillon, Simona Masina, Hugo Sarmento, Daniele Iudicone, Linda Amaral-Zettler, Erik van SebillePublished in Frontiers in Marine Science by Frontiers Media SA in 202310.3389/fmars.2023.1066050
- 14.Author(s): Zhendong Hu, Hongyang Lin, Zhiyu Liu, Zhiyong Cao, Fangtao Zhang, Zongpei Jiang, Yao Zhang, Kuanbo Zhou, Minhan DaiPublished in Journal of Physical Oceanography by American Meteorological Society in 2023, page: 1615-162710.1175/jpo-d-22-0189.1
- 15.Author(s): Ilson C. A. da Silveira, Piero S. Bernardo, Cauê Z. Lazaneo, João P. M. Amorim, Milton Borges-Silva, Rafael C. Martins, Daniel M. C. Santos, Marcelo Dottori, Wellington C. Belo, Renato P. Martins, Luiz A. A. Guerra, Daniel L. MoreiraPublished in Ocean and Coastal Research by FapUNIFESP (SciELO) in 202310.1590/2675-2824071.2206icas
- 16.Author(s): Christian Kehl, Peter D. Nooteboom, Mikael L.A. Kaandorp, Erik van SebillePublished in Computers & Geosciences by Elsevier BV in 2023, page: 10532210.1016/j.cageo.2023.105322
- 17.Author(s): Madeline A. K. Lavery, Christopher N. Rooper, Kota Sawada, Kari Fenske, Vladimir Kulik, Kyum Joon ParkPublished in Fisheries Oceanography by Wiley in 2022, page: 160-17610.1111/fog.12612
- 18.Author(s): Victor Onink, Mikael L. A. Kaandorp, Erik van Sebille, Charlotte LaufkötterPublished in Environmental Science & Technology by American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2022, page: 15528-1554010.1021/acs.est.2c03363
- 19.Author(s): Marco Boetti, Lilly VersoPublished in International Journal of Multiphase Flow by Elsevier BV in 2022, page: 10415310.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2022.104153
- 20.Author(s): Jörg Fröhle, Patricia V. K. Handmann, Arne BiastochPublished in Ocean Science by Copernicus GmbH in 2022, page: 1431-145010.5194/os-18-1431-2022
- 21.Author(s): Alexander Kier Christensen, Matthew D. Piggott, Erik van Sebille, Maarten van Reeuwijk, Samraat PawarPublished in PLOS Computational Biology by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in 2022, page: e101029110.1371/journal.pcbi.1010291
- 22.Author(s): Kenneth G. HughesPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021jc018228
- 23.Author(s): Daan Reijnders, Eric Deleersnijder, Erik van SebillePublished in Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021ms002850
- 24.Author(s): Hayden T. Schilling, Daniel E. Hewitt, Neil Malan, Matthew D. Taylor, Daniel D. JohnsonPublished in Marine and Freshwater Research by CSIRO Publishing in 2022, page: 1352-136710.1071/mf21348
- 25.Author(s): Reint Fischer, Delphine Lobelle, Merel Kooi, Albert Koelmans, Victor Onink, Charlotte Laufkötter, Linda Amaral-Zettler, Andrew Yool, Erik van SebillePublished in Biogeosciences by Copernicus GmbH in 2022, page: 2211-223410.5194/bg-19-2211-2022
- 26.Author(s): H. J. Cunningham, C. Higgins, T. S. van den BremerPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021jc018106
- 27.Author(s): Eugenio Cutolo, Ananda Pascual, Simón Ruiz, T. M. Shaun Johnston, Mara Freilich, Amala Mahadevan, Andrey Shcherbina, Pierre‐Marie Poulain, Tamay Ozgokmen, Luca R. Centurioni, Daniel L. Rudnick, Eric D’AsaroPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021jc018336
- 28.Author(s): Sonia Heye, Marjolaine Krug, Pierrick Penven, Michael Hart-DavisPublished in Continental Shelf Research by Elsevier BV in 2022, page: 10485210.1016/j.csr.2022.104852
- 29.Author(s): Claudio M. Pierard, Deborah Bassotto, Florian Meirer, Erik van SebillePublished in Frontiers in Marine Science by Frontiers Media SA in 202210.3389/fmars.2022.925437
- 30.Author(s): Addison Rice, Peter D. Nooteboom, Erik van Sebille, Francien Peterse, Martin Ziegler, Appy SluijsPublished in Geophysical Research Letters by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021gl096859
- 31.Author(s): Maya C. Pfaff, Michael Hart-Davis, Marié E. Smith, Jennifer VeitchPublished in Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science by Elsevier BV in 2022, page: 10790910.1016/j.ecss.2022.107909
- 32.Author(s): Ignasi Vallès‐Casanova, Eugenio Fraile‐Nuez, Marta Martín‐Rey, Erik van Sebille, Anna Cabré, Anna Olivé‐Abelló, Josep L. PelegríPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021jc018150
- 33.Author(s): Madhu Kaundal, Nadimpalli Jithendra Raju, Dhrubajyoti Samanta, Mihir Kumar DashPublished in Ocean Dynamics by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in 2022, page: 313-32310.1007/s10236-022-01502-2
- 34.Author(s): Daniel E. Hewitt, Hayden T. Schilling, Roshan Hanamseth, Jason D. Everett, Junde Li, Moninya Roughan, Daniel D. Johnson, Iain M. Suthers, Matthew D. TaylorPublished in Fisheries Oceanography by Wiley in 2022, page: 587-60010.1111/fog.12608
- 35.Author(s): Xiaobiao Xu, Eric P. Chassignet, Shenfu Dong, Molly O. BaringerPublished in Frontiers in Marine Science by Frontiers Media SA in 202210.3389/fmars.2022.811398
- 36.Author(s): Chelsey A. Baker, Adrian P. Martin, Andrew Yool, Ekaterina PopovaPublished in Global Biogeochemical Cycles by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021gb007286
- 37.Author(s): Peter D. Nooteboom, Michiel Baatsen, Peter K. Bijl, Michael A. Kliphuis, Erik van Sebille, Appy Sluijs, Henk A. Dijkstra, Anna S. von der HeydtPublished in Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021pa004405
- 38.Author(s): Victor Onink, Erik van Sebille, Charlotte LaufkötterPublished in Geoscientific Model Development by Copernicus GmbH in 2022, page: 1995-201210.5194/gmd-15-1995-2022
- 39.Author(s): Mikael L. A. Kaandorp, Stefanie L. Ypma, Marijke Boonstra, Henk A. Dijkstra, Erik van SebillePublished in Ocean Science by Copernicus GmbH in 2022, page: 269-29310.5194/os-18-269-2022
- 40.Author(s): Mochamad Riza Iskandar, Muhammad Reza Cordova, Young-Gyu ParkPublished in Marine Pollution Bulletin by Elsevier BV in 2022, page: 11433110.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114331
- 41.Author(s): Esther Capó, James C. McWilliamsPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021jc018022
- 42.Author(s): Stefanie L. Ypma, Quinten Bohte, Alexander Forryan, Alberto C. Naveira Garabato, Andy Donnelly, Erik van SebillePublished in Ocean Science by Copernicus GmbH in 2022, page: 1477-149010.5194/os-18-1477-2022
- 43.Author(s): Camille M. Grimaldi, Ryan J. Lowe, Jessica A. Benthuysen, Michael V. W. Cuttler, Rebecca H. Green, Ben Radford, Nicole Ryan, James GilmourPublished in Limnology and Oceanography by Wiley in 2022, page: 2204-221710.1002/lno.12198
- 44.Author(s): Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Hao Cao, Jeremy BloxhamPublished in The Astrophysical Journal by American Astronomical Society in 2022, page: 18510.3847/1538-4357/ac9d94
- 45.Author(s): Siren Rühs, Christina Schmidt, René Schubert, Tobias G. Schulzki, Franziska U. Schwarzkopf, Dewi Le Bars, Arne BiastochPublished in Communications Earth & Environment by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in 202210.1038/s43247-022-00643-y
- 46.Author(s): Winnie Courtene-Jones, Simon van Gennip, Juliette Penicaud, Emily Penn, Richard C. ThompsonPublished in Marine Pollution Bulletin by Elsevier BV in 2022, page: 11437110.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114371
- 47.Author(s): Lorenzo Ciannelli, Antonio Cannavacciuolo, Peter Konstandinidis, Alice Mirasole, Jennifer A. T. K. Wong‐Ala, Maria Teresa Guerra, Isabella D'Ambra, Emilio Riginella, Daniela CianelliPublished in Fisheries Oceanography by Wiley in 2022, page: 480-49610.1111/fog.12596
- 48.Author(s): D. C. Napolitano, G. Alory, I. Dadou, Y. Morel, J. Jouanno, G. MorvanPublished in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 202210.1029/2021jc017999
- 49.Author(s): Michael C. Denes, Gary Froyland, Shane R. KeatingPublished in Physical Review Fluids by American Physical Society (APS) in 202210.1103/physrevfluids.7.034501
- 50.Author(s): Shuangqiang Wang, F. Javier Murillo, Ellen KenchingtonPublished in Frontiers in Marine Science by Frontiers Media SA in 202210.3389/fmars.2022.863693