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Helicon

GPU-Accelerated Magnetic Nozzle Simulation & Detachment Analysis Toolkit for Fusion Propulsion

Helicon wraps and extends WarpX with:

  • Curated input configurations for magnetic nozzle geometries (solenoid, converging-diverging, FRC exhaust)
  • Post-processing pipelines that extract thrust, Isp, detachment efficiency, and plume divergence from PIC output
  • Parameter scan and optimization infrastructure (Bayesian, gradient-based via MLX, Sobol sensitivity)
  • Validation cases against published analytical solutions and experimental data (VASIMR VX-200, Merino-Ahedo)
  • Native Apple Silicon GPU execution via warpx-metal (SYCL → AdaptiveCpp → Metal)
  • Detachment analysis suite: MHD onset, kinetic FLR corrections, sheath coupling, Lyapunov controller

Quick Install

pip install helicon
# For Apple Silicon GPU acceleration:
pip install helicon[mlx]
# For Bayesian optimization:
pip install helicon[optimize]

Quick Start

Metal GPU simulation (Apple Silicon)

helicon run --preset sunbird
# WarpX Metal:  42%|████▏     | 210/500 [03:22<04:39,  1.04step/s]
# Simulation complete (287.4s)

Detachment analysis

helicon detach report --n 1e18 --Te 30 --Ti 15 --B 0.05 --dBdz -1.0 --vz 40000

Environment check

helicon doctor

from helicon.fields.biot_savart import Coil, Grid, compute_bfield
from helicon.optimize.analytical import screen_geometry

coils = [Coil(z=0.0, r=0.12, I=50000.0)]
result = screen_geometry(coils, z_min=-0.3, z_max=2.0)
print(f"Mirror ratio R_B = {result.mirror_ratio:.2f}")
print(f"Thrust efficiency η_T = {result.thrust_efficiency:.3f}")
print(f"Plume half-angle θ = {result.divergence_half_angle_deg:.1f}°")

Why Helicon?

The unsolved problem: Plasma detachment in magnetic nozzles is where fusion thrust is won or lost. Current detachment efficiency estimates span 50–95% — a factor-of-two uncertainty that determines whether direct-fusion-drive missions to Mars are 90 days or 9 months.

What makes Helicon different:

Tool Gap
WarpX No propulsion-specific postprocessing
MN1D (Ahedo group) 1D only, not public
BALOO (Merino) Not publicly available
PlasmaPy No PIC integration

Helicon is open-source, GPU-accelerated (MLX on Apple Silicon, CUDA via WarpX), and validation-first.

Citing Helicon

See CITATION.cff or cite as:

@software{helicon,
  title = {Helicon: GPU-Accelerated Magnetic Nozzle Simulation Toolkit},
  version = {2.7.0},
  license = {MIT},
}