Tracking LHC Models with Thick Lens Quadrupoles: Results and Comparisons with the Standard Thin Lens tracking.

So far, the massive numerical simulation studies of the LHC dynamic aperture were performed using thin lens models of the machine. This approach has the clear advantage of speed, but it has also the disadvantage of requiring re-matching of the optics from the real thick configuration to the thin one. The figure-of-merit for the re-matching is the agreement between the beta-functions for the two models. However, the quadrupole gradients are left as free parameters, thus, the impact of the magnetic multipoles might be affected by this approach. In turns, the dynamic aperture computation could be changed. In this paper the new approach is described and the results for the dynamic aperture are compared with the old approach, including detailed considerations on the CPU-time requirements.