A simple way to characterize linear coupling in a storage ring

The techniques of normal form analysis, well known in the literature, can be used to provide a straightforward characterization of linear betatron dynamics in a coupled lattice. Here, we consider both the beam distribution and the betatron oscillations in a storage ring, assuming that the beam emittances and betatron actions respectively are provided as parameters. We find that the beta functions for uncoupled motion generalize in a simple way to the coupled case. Defined in the way that we propose, the beta functions remain well behaved (positive and finite) under all circumstances, and have essentially the same physical significance for the beam size and betatron oscillations as in the uncoupled case. We discuss a technique for making direct measurements of the ratio of the coupled lattice functions at different points in the lattice