docs: def gmdaArray(arry, dtype, mask=None, numGhosts=1):
      """
      ghosted distributed array constructor
      @param arry numpy-like array
      @param numGhosts the number of ghosts (>= 0)
      """
      a = numpy.array(arry, dtype)
      res = GhostedMaskedDistArray(a.shape, a.dtype)
      res.mask = mask
      res.setNumberOfGhosts(numGhosts)
      res[:] = a
      return res