Mathematical formulation to predict the harmonics of the superconducting Large Hadron Collider magnets: III. Precycle ramp rate effects and magnet characterization

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is equipped with a feed-forward control system known as the field description for the LHC (FiDeL) which is designed to predict the magnetic field and its multipoles, hence reducing the burden on beam based feedback. FiDeL consists of a physical and empirical parametric field model based on magnetic measurements at warm and in cryogenic conditions. It is particularly critical during beam injection when the field decays and at the beginning of acceleration when the field snaps back. It is known that the decay amplitude is largely affected by the powering history of the magnet, particularly by the precycle flattop current and duration and the preinjection preparation duration. Recently, we have collected data that quantify the dependence of the decay amplitude on the precycle ramp rate. This paper presents the results of the measurements performed to investigate this effect, and the method included in FiDeL to model the precycle dependence. With this complete picture of dynamic changes, we finally discuss the effect on the data taken at nominally constant field, along the magnet loadline. We show that a correction for dynamic changes is required for adequate magnet characterization.