Baseline LHC machine parameters and configuration of the 2015 proton run

TL;DR

This paper details the baseline parameters and configuration of the LHC for the 2015 proton run, emphasizing feasibility and operational margins due to upgrades and increased energy, with a focus on collimation and $eta^*$ settings.

Contribution

It provides the initial machine parameters and configuration for the 2015 LHC run, considering recent upgrades and operational uncertainties.

Findings

Baseline parameters established for 2015 run

Configuration prioritizes feasibility over peak performance

Margins included for operational uncertainties

Abstract

This paper shows the baseline LHC machine parameters for the 2015 start-up. Many systems have been upgraded during LS1 and in 2015 the LHC will operate at a higher energy than before and with a tighter filling scheme. Therefore, the 2015 commissioning phase risks to be less smooth than in 2012. The proposed starting configuration puts the focus on feasibility rather than peak performance and includes margins for operational uncertainties. Instead, once beam experience and a better machine knowledge has been obtained, a push in $\beta^*$ and performance can be envisaged. In this paper, the focus is on collimation settings and reach in $\beta^*$---other parameters are covered in greater depth by other papers in these proceedings.