Welcome to Pychron
Pychron is an open-source noble gas mass spectrometry platform for Ar-Ar geochronology and thermochronology, developed at the New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory (NMGRL) and actively used by more than 12 institutions worldwide. It manages the complete laboratory workflow in a single integrated system: automated extraction line control, CO₂ and diode laser operation, resistance furnace management, multi-collector spectrometer acquisition, programmatic scripting of run sequences, git-backed per-analysis data persistence, pipeline-based data reduction, age calculation, and publication-ready output. Pychron is not one application — it is a suite of specialized apps (pyExperiment, pyCrunch, pyValve, pyLaser, furPi) built on the Enthought plugin framework, each responsible for a distinct part of the workflow and communicating over ZMQ and RPC when deployed across multiple lab computers.
Who Uses Pychron
Pychron is in active production at geochronology labs on four continents:
- NMGRL — New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory (New Mexico Tech), the primary developer
- WiscAr — University of Wisconsin–Madison Argon Geochronology Laboratory
- GSC — Geological Survey of Canada (Natural Resources Canada)
- USGS — U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park and Reston facilities
- University of Melbourne — Thermochronology Research Group
- And 7+ additional labs running supported or community installations
If your lab uses a Thermo Argus, Helix, or Helix SFT, an Isotopx NGX, or a Pfeiffer Quadera, and runs an automated extraction line with Photon Machines or Synrad lasers or a resistance furnace, Pychron is designed for your workflow.
Before installing, confirm that your spectrometer, laser, and extraction line hardware are supported. Check the Hardware Compatibility Matrix — it lists every supported device, its implementation status, and known limitations.
Three Tiers
| Tier | What it is | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Source Core | The full Pychron codebase on GitHub — all acquisition, reduction, and DVC functionality | Labs with in-house Python expertise who want full control |
| Supported Lab Edition | Open-source core plus a support contract from Pychron Labs LLC — installation assistance, configuration review, priority issue response | Labs transitioning from MassSpec or standing up a new instrument |
| Pychron Cloud | Hosted DVC data management — MetaRepo and data repositories managed in the cloud, no self-hosted GitHub/GitLab required | Labs without institutional IT infrastructure for self-hosted git |
Getting Started in Four Steps
- Check hardware compatibility — Hardware Compatibility Matrix. Confirm your spectrometer and extraction line hardware are supported (✓ rows) before committing to the migration.
- Install Pychron — Installation Guide. Uses
uvand Python 3.12. Takes ~15 minutes on a clean system. - Configure DVC — DVC Setup Guide. Choose a git host (GitHub, GitLab, or LocalGit) and a database backend (MySQL or SQLite), then initialize the MetaRepo.
- Run your first experiment — Quick Start. Verify startup tests, confirm hardware responds, and run a test blank-unknown-blank sequence.
Coming From MassSpec
If your lab currently runs MassSpec, see the Migration Overview for an honest comparison of the two architectures and a clear picture of what the automated migration tooling covers — and what it does not.
Get Help
Community support — Issues and questions: github.com/PychronLabsLLC/pychron/issues. Search existing issues before opening a new one; many installation and configuration questions have been answered there.
Pychron Labs LLC — Commercial support contracts cover installation, initial configuration, DVC setup, MassSpec migration, and ongoing troubleshooting. A support contract is the fastest path to a working system for labs without dedicated Python expertise. Contact Pychron Labs LLC through the website or via the GitHub issues page for current pricing and scope.