Detailed characterisation of the LEIR intensity limitations for a Pb ion beam

The equilibrium emittance of the Pb beam in the CERN Low Energy Ion Ring (LEIR) results from the interplay of electron cooling and heating processes, as intra-beam scattering and space charge. In this paper we present the measurements of the emittance evolution as a function of intensity, working point and resonance excitation, and compare them with the simulations of the heating processes. Optimum settings for normal and skew sextupoles have been found for the compensation of resonances excited by the lattice.