Understanding beam distributions in hadron linacs in the presence of space charge

Space charge forces are a significant contribution to the beam dynamics in high intensity hadron linacs, often causing beam halo that results in beam loss. Currently, there is limited success in modeling beam distributions in high intensity hadron linacs at the RMS level, and no demonstrated capability for measuring or modeling distributions at the level of beam halo. This article discusses the current state of the art capability in this area, and explores next steps in both simulation and beam instrumentation that will enable measurement and modeling of beam halo in high intensity hadron linacs.