Method to evaluate steering and alignment algorithms for controlling emittance growth

Future linear colliders will likely use sophisticated beam-based alignment and/or steering algorithms to control the growth of the beam emittance in the linac. In this paper, a mathematical framework is presented which simplifies the evaluation of the effectiveness of these algorithms. As an application, a quad alignment algorithm that uses beam data taken with the nominal linac optics, and with a scaled optics, is evaluated in terms of the dispersive emittance growth remaining after alignment