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LHC Commissioning with Beam

Re-commissioning with beam in 2011 started on 19th February. It took around 3 weeks to restablish collisions for the experiments. This was followed followed by a phased intensity increase in 1380 bunches per beam - progress outlined in the table below.. 2011 (& 2012) schedule available here

2011 - progress

Date	Bunches/beam	Colliding bunches (Atlas & CMS)	Luminosity cm^-2s^-1
5th November	Switch to ions (fully stripped lead)
26th October	1380	1331	3.65e33
13th September	1380	1318	3.3e33
7th August	1380	1318	2.1e33
28th June	1380	1318	1.25e33
24th June	1236	1180	1.26e33
29th May	1092	1042	1.26e33
23rd May	912	874	1.1e33
1st May	768	700	8.4e32
27th April	624	598	6.7e32
21st April	480	424	4.67e32
16th April	336	322	3.57e32
14th April	220	214	2.28e32
24-27th March	1.38 TeV run (followed by technical stop and scrubbing)
22nd March	200	194	2.5e32

• 13th March: First stable beams, 3 bunches per beam, initial luminosity 1.6e30 cm^-2s^-1
• 5th March: nominal bunches at 3.5 TeV, start collimator set-up program
• 3rd March: first collisions at 3.5 TeV, beta*=1.5 m. with pilot beams
• 19th February: First beam, circulating beams established.

2010 - progress

Restarted with beam 27th February 2010. First collisions at 3.5 TeV took place on 30th March 2010. End of run on 6th December 2010.

Date	Bunches/beam	Colliding bunches	Luminosity cm^-2s^-1
15th November	121	113	2.88e25
9th November	17	16	3.5e24
4th November	LHC switched to heavy ions (fully stripped lead)
25th October	368	348	2.07e32
16th October	312	295	1.35e32
14th October	248	233	1e32
8th October	248	233	8.8e31
4th October	204	186	7e31
29th September	152	140	5e31
25th September	104	93	3.5e31
23rd September	56	47	2e31
22nd September	24	16	4.6e30
1st - 22nd September	Bunch train commissioning
29th August	50	35	1e31

Stage A: Initial commissioning with a single bunch per beam moving towards 43 bunches on 43 bunches (moving to 156 on 156) with moderate intensities. First collisions un-squeezed; followed by partial squeeze.

Progress on initial commissioning below.

Stage A - progress 2010

	Phase	Schedule/Progress Notes	Ring factor	Total Time [days] both rings	Comments
A1	Injection and first turn	First turn	2	4	Complete - end Feb
A2	Circulating beam	Circ. beam	2	2	Complete - end Feb
A3	450 GeV initial commissioning	450 GeV prelim	2	4	Complete - start March
A4	450 GeV optics measurements	450 GeV detailed	2	2	In progress
A6	450 GeV - two beams	OK	1	1	OK
A7	Collisions at 450 GeV	OK	1	1	To do in 2010
A8	Snapback and ramp	OK	2	4	Without problems to 3.5 TeV.
A9	Flat top checks	OK	2	1	In progress
A12	Commission experimental magnets	OK			Complete.
A10	Setup for collisions - 3.5 TeV	OK	1	1	Completed 29th March
	Physics un-squeezed		1	-	First collisions 30th March
	TOTAL to first collisions			22
A11	Commission squeeze	OK	2	6	First trial performed (to 5 m in IR1&5)
A5	Increase intensity		2	6	Work still in progress!
	Set-up physics - partially squeezed.	OK	1	2	Operation scenario for 2010=, beta*=3.5 m
	Pilot physics	OK

Comments to: Mike Lamont