Axial variations in the magnetic field of superconducting dipoles and quadrupoles

A periodic variation in the magnetic field along the axis has been observed in both quadrupole and dipole magnets made from superconducting cable. This oscillation is present in all components of the field and has a wavelength equal to the transposition length of the cable. In general the amplitude of these variations increases with magnet current and is not reversible. The residual field pattern at zero current depends on the energizing cycle and increases with time spent at high field. The decay of the oscillations has a complex time dependence which contains some extremely long time constants. Unbalanced currents in the individual strands of the cable appear to cause these effects and the field variations can only be completely erased by raising the magnet above its critical temperature