LHC Commissioning with Lead Ion Beams

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HI2013, the 2013 p-Pb run

Since this was originally scheduled for 2012, it may sometimes be referred to as "HI2012" (there was no heavy-ion run in 2012 except for the p-Pb pilot run on 13-14 September 2012).

Commissioning plan for 2013 will still evolve in detail.

 LHC Page 1  #pArunatLHC (unofficial). 

References

Commissioning plan for p-Pb run (LHC Machine Committee 5/12/2012) 

Follow-up from LMC of 5 Dec 2012 on Commissioning plan for p-Pb run

Optics, crossing angle and aperture in p-Pb physics conditions in the LHC - CERN Document Server

Chromatic effects and their correction in off-momentum operation of the LHC for p-Pb collisions - CERN Document Server

First proton-nucleus collisions in the LHC- the p-Pb pilot physics - CERN Document Server

ALICE spectrometer polarity reversal - CERN Document Server

p-Pb Feasibility Test and Modifications of LHC Sequence and Interlocking - CERN Document Server

Heavy Ions in 2012 and the Programme up to 2022 - CERN Document Server

pA@LHC workshop (04-08 June 2012)

Workshop on Proton-Nucleus Collisions at the LHC (2005)

Last updated: 09:51 Friday, 11 January, 2013

HI2011, the 2011 Pb-Pb run

This information is kept for historical reference.

The commissioning plan for 2011.  It fits in the overall LHC schedule.

The primary goal of this run is to deliver a substantially increased integrated Pb-Pb luminosity, as compared with 2010. 

A secondary goal is to continue the feasibility study for p-Pb operation that will be started in the LHC MD period in Week 44.  If successful, an attempt may be made to deliver p-Pb collisions in the ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb experiments.

Recent presentations and papers relevant to HI2011 and the p-Pb feasibility test:

 

HI2010, the 2010 Pb-Pb run

This information is kept for historical reference.

The LHC will collide lead 208 nuclei (fully stripped ions).  There are two reference sets of beam parameters for the eventual full energy operation (7 Z TeV or 2.76 A TeV per beam), the "Early" and "Nominal" ion beams, as described at:

LHC Design Report Chapter 21 The LHC as a Lead Ion Collider 

Early Ion Beam Run

These notes refer to the commissioning of the Early Ion Beams for the first ion run in 2010 at 3.5 Z TeV or 1.38 A TeV per beam.  It is assumed that we will provide collisions in ALICE, ATLAS and CMS.

Although the energy was not then known, some background was given at the 2005 Chamonix Workshop: LHC Operation with Heavy Ions

NEW: Commissioning plan for Stage I, the first run with the Early Ion Beam in November 2010.

Commissioning the lead ion beams will be done on a machine that is already working well with protons.  It can therefore be assumed that the LHC's magnetic cycle has been established and is working reasonably well and reproducibly.  The experience gained in reaching that stage has been incorporated into the time estimates for, the commissioning of Pb ion collisions.

The lead ions have the same magnetic rigidity and geometric emittance as the protons.  Assuming the machine has sufficient magnetic reproducibility that it is not necessary to re-commission the injection, ramp and squeeze on every proton fill, then it should NOT be necessary to do much to re-commission the first turn, injection and ramp for ions.  Nor the squeeze of IR1 and IR5.   The main items to be dealt with include:

Documentation

Recent presentations:

LHC Design Report, relevant chapters:

 

Page maintained by John Jowett.

This page has not been edited since: 11 January 2013