Modelling Nonlinear Optics in the CERN SPS

Nonlinear fields arising from eddy currents in the vac-uum chamber and remanent fields in the magnets of the CERN SPS vary with time and with the acceleration cycle. We describe a procedure of constructing a nonlinear op-tics model for the SPS, by considering sextupolar, octupo-lar, and decapolar field errors in the dipole and quadrupole magnets, respectively, whose strengths are adjusted so as to best reproduce the measured nonlinear chromaticities up to third order in the momentum deviation. Applying this procedure to SPS chromaticity measurements taken at 26 GeV/c, we have obtained a refined optics model. The tune shifts with the transverse amplitude predicted by this model are consistent with a direct measurement.