A CLIC Damping Wiggler Prototype at ANKA: Commissioning and Preparations for a Beam Dynamics Experimental Program

In a collaboration between CERN, BINP and KIT a prototype of a superconducting damping wiggler for the CLIC damping rings has been installed at the ANKA synchrotron light source. On the one hand, the foreseen experimental program aims at validating the technical design of the wiggler, particularly the conduction cooling concept applied in its cryostat design, in a long-term study. On the other hand, the wiggler's influence on the beam dynamics particularly in the presence of collective effects is planned to be investigated. ANKA's low-alpha short-bunch operation mode will serve as a model system for these studies on collective effects. To simulate these effects and to make verifiable predictions an accurate model of the ANKA storage ring in low-alpha mode, including the insertion devices is under parallel development. This contribution reports on the first operational experience with the CLIC damping wiggler prototype in the ANKA storage ring and steps towards the planned advanced experimental program with this device.