Analysis of the transverse SPS Beam coupling impedance with short and long bunches

The upgrade of the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) would require a four- to fivefold increase of the single bunch intensity presently obtained in the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). Operating at such high single bunch intensities requires a detailed knowledge of the sources of SPS beam coupling impedance, so that longitudinal and transverse impedance reduction campaigns can be planned and performed effectively if needed. In this paper, the transverse impedance of the SPS is studied by injecting a single long bunch into the SPS, and observing its decay without RF. Longer bunches allow for higher frequency resolution of the longitudinal and transverse bunch spectra acquired with strip line couplers connected to a fast data acquisition. It also gives access to the frequency content of the transverse impedance. Results from measurements with short and long bunches in the SPS performed in 2008 are compared with simulations.