docs: add module docstrings and improve method docstrings in profiles package

autogalaxy/profiles/basis.py

@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+"""
+The `Basis` class groups multiple light or mass profiles into a single object that acts like a single profile.
+
+A basis is typically used for multi-component decompositions of a galaxy's light or mass distribution — for
+example a multi-Gaussian expansion (MGE), which represents a galaxy as a sum of many Gaussian profiles, or
+a shapelet decomposition. Each component of the basis captures a distinct spatial scale of the galaxy.
+
+When linear light profiles are used in a basis, their individual intensities are solved simultaneously via a
+linear inversion (a single matrix solve), making the inference highly efficient regardless of how many basis
+components are included.
+"""
 import numpy as np
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Union
 

autogalaxy/profiles/geometry_profiles.py

@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+"""
+Geometry profiles define the spatial geometry of light and mass profiles, including their centre coordinates and
+elliptical orientation.
+
+The `GeometryProfile`, `SphProfile` and `EllProfile` classes provide the base geometric transformations that all
+light and mass profiles inherit, including translating a grid to the profile centre and rotating it to the
+profile's position angle.
+"""
 import numpy as np
 
 from typing import Optional, Tuple, Type
@@ -34,14 +42,47 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
 
     def has(self, cls: Type) -> bool:
         """
-        Does this instance have an attribute which is of type cls?
+        Returns `True` if any attribute of this profile is an instance of the input class `cls`, else `False`.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        cls
+            The class type to search for amongst the profile's attributes.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        bool
+            `True` if any attribute is an instance of `cls`, else `False`.
         """
         return aa.util.misc.has(values=self.__dict__.values(), cls=cls)
 
     def transformed_to_reference_frame_grid_from(self, grid, xp=np, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Transform a grid of (y,x) coordinates to the reference frame of the profile.
+
+        Subclasses override this to perform a translation to the profile centre and, for elliptical profiles,
+        a rotation to the profile's position angle.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid
+            The (y, x) coordinates in the original reference frame of the grid.
+        """
         raise NotImplemented()
 
     def transformed_from_reference_frame_grid_from(self, grid, xp=np, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Transform a grid of (y,x) coordinates from the reference frame of the profile back to the original
+        observer reference frame.
+
+        Subclasses override this to reverse the translation to the profile centre and, for elliptical profiles,
+        the rotation to the profile's position angle.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid
+            The (y, x) coordinates in the reference frame of the profile.
+        """
         raise NotImplemented()
 
 

autogalaxy/profiles/light/abstract.py

@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+"""
+Abstract base classes for all light profiles in **PyAutoGalaxy**.
+
+A light profile has an analytic function that describes the surface brightness of a galaxy as a function of
+(y,x) Cartesian coordinates. Each profile is associated with a spatial geometry (centre and ellipticity) and
+an `intensity` normalisation that scales the overall brightness.
+
+The `LightProfile` class is the root of the light profile hierarchy. All concrete profiles (e.g. `Sersic`,
+`Exponential`, `Gaussian`) inherit from it and implement `image_2d_from` and `image_2d_via_radii_from`.
+"""
 import numpy as np
 from typing import Optional, Tuple
 
@@ -39,6 +49,13 @@ def __init__(
 
     @property
     def coefficient_tag(self) -> str:
+        """
+        A short string tag used to label the intensity coefficient when this profile is used inside a `Basis`
+        object (e.g. for multi-Gaussian expansion or shapelet decomposition).
+
+        Returns an empty string for standard light profiles, and is overridden by linear light profile subclasses
+        to label their solved-for intensity coefficient.
+        """
         return ""
 
     def image_2d_from(
@@ -114,9 +131,22 @@ def luminosity_integral(self, x: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
 
     @property
     def half_light_radius(self) -> float:
+        """
+        The radius that contains half of the total light of the profile (the half-light radius).
+
+        For profiles with an `effective_radius` attribute (e.g. Sersic, Exponential) this returns the
+        `effective_radius`. Returns `None` for profiles that do not define an effective radius.
+        """
         if hasattr(self, "effective_radius"):
             return self.effective_radius
 
     @property
     def _intensity(self):
+        """
+        The normalisation intensity of the light profile used internally when evaluating the image.
+
+        For standard light profiles this simply returns `self.intensity`. Linear light profiles override this
+        property to return 1.0, because their intensity is solved for via a linear inversion rather than being
+        a free parameter.
+        """
         return self.intensity

autogalaxy/profiles/light/linear/abstract.py

@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+"""
+Abstract base classes for linear light profiles in **PyAutoGalaxy**.
+
+A linear light profile behaves identically to a standard light profile (e.g. `Sersic`, `Exponential`,
+`Gaussian`) except that its `intensity` is not a free parameter — instead, it is solved for analytically via
+a linear inversion during every likelihood evaluation.
+
+This reduces the number of non-linear parameters in a model fit by one per linear profile, which can
+substantially speed up non-linear sampling without any loss of accuracy.
+
+The `LightProfileLinear` class is the abstract base from which all linear light profile variants inherit.
+The `LightProfileLinearObjFuncList` subclass additionally supports regularization, allowing the solved
+intensities to be penalized by a smoothness prior.
+"""
 import inspect
 import numpy as np
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional

autogalaxy/profiles/light/operated/abstract.py

@@ -1,2 +1,20 @@
 class LightProfileOperated:
+    """
+    Mixin class that marks a light profile as already having had an instrument operation applied to it.
+
+    An "operated" light profile represents emission whose image has already had an operation applied, most
+    commonly a PSF convolution. This means that when the image of an operated light profile is computed, the
+    PSF convolution step is skipped — the PSF effect is already baked into the profile itself.
+
+    This pattern is useful for modelling point-source emission (e.g. AGN) or other compact emission where the
+    PSF profile itself is used directly as the light profile.
+
+    The `operated_only` input to `image_2d_from` methods throughout the codebase controls which light profiles
+    contribute to an image:
+
+    - `operated_only=None` (default): all light profiles contribute regardless of whether they are operated.
+    - `operated_only=True`: only `LightProfileOperated` instances contribute; non-operated profiles return zeros.
+    - `operated_only=False`: only non-operated profiles contribute; `LightProfileOperated` instances return zeros.
+    """
+
     pass

autogalaxy/profiles/light/standard/sersic.py

@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+"""
+Sersic light profiles.
+
+The Sersic profile is one of the most widely used models for describing the surface brightness of galaxies.
+It has the functional form:
+
+    I(r) = I_eff * exp{ -b_n * [(r / r_eff)^(1/n) - 1] }
+
+where `r_eff` is the effective (half-light) radius, `n` is the Sersic index controlling concentration, and
+`b_n` is derived from `n` to ensure that `r_eff` encloses half the total flux.
+
+Special cases: n=1 is the exponential (disk) profile, n=4 is the de Vaucouleurs (bulge) profile.
+
+This module provides both elliptical (`Sersic`) and spherical (`SersicSph`) variants.
+"""
 import numpy as np
 
 from numpy import seterr

autogalaxy/profiles/mass/abstract/abstract.py

@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+"""
+Abstract base class for all mass profiles in **PyAutoGalaxy** and **PyAutoLens**.
+
+A mass profile describes the projected mass distribution of a galaxy and exposes three fundamental lensing
+quantities:
+
+- `deflections_yx_2d_from` — the deflection angles α(θ) that describe how light rays are bent.
+- `convergence_2d_from` — the dimensionless surface mass density κ(θ) = Σ(θ) / Σ_cr.
+- `potential_2d_from` — the lensing (Shapiro) potential ψ(θ).
+
+Every other lensing observable (shear, magnification, critical curves, Einstein radius, Fermat potential) can
+be derived from these three quantities. See the `autogalaxy.operate.lens_calc` module for the `LensCalc` class
+that derives these secondary quantities.
+"""
 import numpy as np
 from typing import Tuple
 
@@ -25,9 +39,53 @@ def __init__(
         super().__init__(centre=centre, ell_comps=ell_comps)
 
     def deflections_yx_2d_from(self, grid):
+        """
+        Returns the 2D deflection angles of the mass profile from a 2D grid of Cartesian (y,x) coordinates.
+
+        The deflection angle α(θ) at image-plane position θ describes how a light ray is bent by the
+        gravitational field of the lens. The source-plane position β is then:
+
+            β = θ − α(θ)
+
+        Deflection angles are the single most important output of a mass profile — every other lensing quantity
+        (convergence, shear, magnification, critical curves, caustics) can be derived from them.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid
+            The 2D (y, x) coordinates where the deflection angles are evaluated.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        aa.VectorYX2D
+            The (y, x) deflection angles at every coordinate on the input grid.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def deflections_2d_via_potential_2d_from(self, grid):
+        """
+        Returns the 2D deflection angles of the mass profile by numerically differentiating the lensing
+        potential on the input grid.
+
+        This is a fallback implementation that computes deflection angles as the gradient of the potential via
+        finite differences:
+
+            α_y = ∂ψ/∂y,  α_x = ∂ψ/∂x
+
+        Most concrete mass profiles override `deflections_yx_2d_from` with an analytic expression. This
+        method is provided for cross-checking and for profiles where only the potential is known analytically.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid
+            The 2D (y, x) coordinates where the deflection angles are evaluated.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        aa.Grid2D
+            The (y, x) deflection angles at every coordinate on the input grid, computed via finite differences
+            of the lensing potential.
+        """
         potential = self.potential_2d_from(grid=grid)
 
         deflections_y_2d = np.gradient(
@@ -43,22 +101,110 @@ def deflections_2d_via_potential_2d_from(self, grid):
         )
 
     def convergence_2d_from(self, grid, xp=np):
+        """
+        Returns the 2D convergence of the mass profile from a 2D grid of Cartesian (y,x) coordinates.
+
+        The convergence κ(θ) is the dimensionless surface mass density of the lens, defined as the projected
+        surface mass density Σ(θ) divided by the critical surface mass density Σ_cr:
+
+            κ(θ) = Σ(θ) / Σ_cr
+
+        Physically, κ = 1 on the Einstein ring. Regions with κ > 1 produce multiple images.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid
+            The 2D (y, x) coordinates where the convergence is evaluated.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        aa.Array2D
+            The convergence κ(θ) at every coordinate on the input grid.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def convergence_func(self, grid_radius: float) -> float:
+        """
+        Returns the convergence of the mass profile as a function of the radial coordinate.
+
+        This is used to integrate the convergence profile to compute enclosed masses and the Einstein radius.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid_radius
+            The radial distance from the profile centre at which the convergence is evaluated.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        float
+            The convergence at the input radial distance.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def potential_2d_from(self, grid):
+        """
+        Returns the 2D lensing potential of the mass profile from a 2D grid of Cartesian (y,x) coordinates.
+
+        The lensing potential ψ(θ) is the gravitational (Shapiro) time-delay term. It quantifies how much the
+        passage of light through the gravitational field delays its arrival relative to a straight-line path in
+        empty space.
+
+        The potential enters directly into the Fermat potential:
+
+            φ(θ) = ½ |θ − β|²  −  ψ(θ)
+
+        which governs time delays between multiple lensed images of the same source.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        grid
+            The 2D (y, x) coordinates where the lensing potential is evaluated.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        aa.Array2D
+            The lensing potential ψ(θ) at every coordinate on the input grid.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def potential_func(self, u, y, x):
+        """
+        Returns the integrand of the lensing potential at a single point, used in numerical integration schemes
+        for computing the potential from the mass profile's convergence.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        u
+            The integration variable.
+        y
+            The y-coordinate of the point at which the potential is evaluated.
+        x
+            The x-coordinate of the point at which the potential is evaluated.
+        """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def mass_integral(self, x, xp=np):
+        """
+        Integrand used by `mass_angular_within_circle_from` to compute the total projected mass within a circle.
+
+        This integrates 2π r κ(r) to give the enclosed convergence (dimensionless mass) at radius `x`.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        x
+            The radial coordinate at which the integrand is evaluated.
+        """
         return 2 * xp.pi * x * self.convergence_func(grid_radius=aa.ArrayIrregular(x))
 
     @property
     def ellipticity_rescale(self):
+        """
+        A rescaling factor applied to account for the ellipticity of the mass profile when computing the
+        Einstein radius from the average convergence equals unity criterion.
+
+        For a spherical profile this is 1.0. Elliptical profiles return a factor that maps the elliptical
+        enclosed mass to an equivalent circular Einstein radius.
+        """
         return NotImplementedError()
 
     def mass_angular_within_circle_from(self, radius: float):