L 2 Event Dynamics and UFO Nature Investigation

Micrometer sized particles (UFOs) entering the beam are a known cause of localized beam losses since the beginning of high intensity beam operation, however the origin of these particles is not fully known. Furthermore, during 2017 a new type of UFO events appeared around the 16L2 interconnection in the LHC, leading to beam instabilities resulting in major impact on beam availability. In MD#2036 a proof-of-concept method utilizing blown-up bunches and a fast loss detection system for studying the dynamics of UFOs, simulated by the wirescanners, was successfully attempted. In this MD it was shown that real UFO dynamics are possible to study employing this method.