Bunch-by-Bunch Analysis of the LHC Heavy-Ion Luminosity

After the first run in 2010 [1], the LHC continued its heavy-ion operation with collisions of lead nuclei in late 2011. The beam dynamics of the high intensity lead beams are strongly influenced by intra-beam scattering (IBS), especially on the injection plateau. Each train injected from the SPS spends a different time at injection, introducing significant changes from train to train. Within the trains there is an even larger spread imprinted by the SPS injection plateau. This results in a spread of the luminosity produced in each bunch crossing. The particle losses during collisions are dominated by nuclear electromagnetic processes, leading to a non-exponential intensity decay during the fill and short luminosity lifetime at 3:5Z TeV. The lu- minosity, emittance, intensity and bunch length evolution of the 2011 run was analysed bunch-by-bunch and compared with simulations. Based on this analysis, estimates of the potential luminosity performance at 6:5Z TeV, after the present shutdown, are given.