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Install Mamba, Python, and Jupyter Lab: Mac User

  • Open Terminal (Launchpad -> Other -> Terminal)

  • Install Miniforge using:

curl -L -O "https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/latest/download/Miniforge3-$(uname)-$(uname -m).sh"
bash Miniforge3-$(uname)-$(uname -m).sh
  • Install Mamba on your laptop:
    Agree license term: yes
    Confirm install location: ENTER
    Do you wish to update your shell profile to automatically initialize conda: yes
  • Close terminal window, and reopen a terminal window. Test if Mamba and Conda have been successfully installed
mamba

You should see

conda is a tool for managing and deploying applications, environments and packages.
....
  • In the terminal, create a new environment esa_env:
mamba create -n esa_env python=3.12 jupyter jupyterlab notebook numpy scipy ipython pandas matplotlib cartopy geopandas xarray dask netCDF4 seaborn statsmodels pooch

This will take several minutes. Mamba has to work out a set of package versions that all fit together before it downloads anything.

  • After it's finished, activate the environment:
mamba activate esa_env

Your prompt should now start with (esa_env). You will need to run mamba activate esa_env every time you open a new terminal window to work on this course.

Launch Jupyter Lab

jupyter lab

  • You should see the Jupyter Lab page automatically opened in your web browser. If not, copy and paste one of the URLs listed to your web browser.

  • In the Jupyter Lab, go to File -> Open from Path. Enter the path of your course folder.

  • If you don't know the folder path, find the folder in Finder, right click on the folder, press Option, and click Copy "environmental_science_analysis" as Pathname.

  • Once you're at your course folder, open a new Jupyter notebook by clicking the + sign. Choose Notebook.

  • Rename the Notebook to be 'Lecture_2_Install_Python.ipynb'

Test your installation

  • Enter the following code in the Notebook to test if you successfully installed all necessary packages:
import xarray as xr
import pandas as pd
import geopandas as gpd

If no errors, enter the following to test the plotting functions:

ds = xr.tutorial.load_dataset("air_temperature")
ds.air[0,:,:].plot()

You should see a colored map of air temperature. If you do, everything you need for this course is installed.

If something goes wrong

  • mamba: command not found — you did not reopen the terminal after installing Miniforge, or you answered "no" to the shell profile question. Close the terminal, open a new one, and try again.
  • ModuleNotFoundError on one of the imports — you are probably running a notebook that is not using esa_env. Check the kernel name in the top right of the notebook, and make sure you launched jupyter lab from a terminal where (esa_env) was showing.
  • The mamba create step fails or hangs on "solving environment" — check your internet connection and run it again. If it still fails, bring the error message to office hours.

Submit

  • Submit this Jupyter Notebook as your assignment. It must show the package imports and the xarray plot.