CERN, Geneva
Following a series of injection tests, the first attempts to pass beam around both directions of the LHC were successful and led rapidly to circulating beam in the counter clockwise direction (beam 2) and many turns of beam 1. Unfortunately the beam commissioning was curtailed by the incident in sector 34. However, measurements performed during this first commissioning period should that the magnet model of the machine had delivered optics close to nominal, and also very good performance of beam instrumentation and supporting software. Details of the machine set-up and the commissioning procedures are detailed. The measurements performed and the key results from this period are described.
CERN, Geneva
We discuss luminosity monitoring, optimization and absolute calibration in the LHC. Interaction rates will be continuously monitored both by detectors on the machine side as well as by the four large LHC experiments. Horizontal and vertical separation scans will be used to optimize luminosity and to measure the beam sizes in the interaction region. An application software has been developed for this purpose. We describe the procedures which have been prepared and discuss expected systematic effects which may limit the accuracy of the measurement.
CERN, Geneva
A series of LHC injection tests was performed in August and September 2008. The first saw beam injected into sector 23; the second into sectors 78 and 23; the third into sectors 78-67 and sectors 23-34-45. The fourth, into sectors 23-34-45, was performed the evening before the extended injection test on the 10th September which saw both beams brought around the full circumference of the LHC. The tests enabled the testing and debugging of a number of critical control and hardware systems; testing and validation of instrumentation with beam for the first time; deployment, and validation of a number of measurement procedures. Beam based measurements revealed a number of machine configuration issues that were rapidly resolved. The tests were undoubtedly an essential precursor to the successful start of LHC beam commissioning. This paper provides an outline of preparation for the tests, the machine configuration and summarizes the measurements made and individual system performance.
