Long-range beam-beam experiments in the relativistic heavy ion collider

TL;DR

This paper reports on experiments with current-carrying wires in RHIC to study and mitigate long-range beam-beam effects, providing data to benchmark simulations relevant for collider performance improvements.

Contribution

It presents the first experimental investigation of wire compensation for long-range beam-beam effects in a collider, with results applicable to LHC upgrades.

Findings

Wires effectively mitigate long-range effects in RHIC.

Experimental data benchmarked simulation models.

Insights gained for collider performance enhancement.

Abstract

Long-range beam-beam effects are a potential limit to the LHC performance with the nominal design parameters, and certain upgrade scenarios under discussion. To mitigate long-range effects, current carrying wires parallel to the beam were proposed and space is reserved in the LHC for such wires. Two current carrying wires were installed in RHIC to study the effect of strong long-range beam-beam effects in a collider, as well as test the compensation of a single long-range interaction. The experimental data were used to benchmark simulations. We summarize this work.