The Horizontal and Vertical Damper Systems at the Zero Gradient Synchrotron and Their Performance Characteristics

Inherent to the Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) are spontaneous intensity dependent beam size growths that can lead to precipitous beam losses. Vertical losses can occur at intensities > 5 × 1011 protons/pulse. Horizontal beam losses can occur at intensities > 1012 protons/pulse. This paper discusses the factors affecting the beam size growth, the characteristics of the signals observed, and the equipment developed to control these losses; in particular, the (1-vx) horizontal damper and the wide-band vertical damper. Because of the space limit for the paper, the discussion will be limited primarily to the (1-vx) horizontal damper.