[en] Limits on beam current and emittance in proton and heavy ion linear accelerators resulting from space charge forces are calculated. The method involves determining equilibrium distributions in phase space using a continuous focusing, no acceleration, model in two degrees of freedom using the coordinates r and z. A nonlinear Poisson equation must be solved numerically. This procedure is a matching between the longitudinal and transverse directions to minimize the effect of longitudinal-transverse coupling which is believed to be the main problem in emittance growth due to space charge in linacs. Limits on the Clinton P. Anderson Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) accelerator performance are calculated as an example. The beam physics is described by a few space charge parameters so that accelerators with different physical parameters can be compared in a natural way. The main result of this parameter study is that the requirement of a high-intensity beam is best fulfilled with a low-frequency accelerator whereas the requirement of a high-brightness beam is best fulfilled with a high-frequency accelerator