Abstract
Uncontrolled beam loss is a major concern in the operation of a high intensity hadron linac. A low density cloud of particles with large oscillation amplitudes, so called halo, can form around the dense regular beam core. This halo can be a direct or indirect cause of beam loss. There is experimental evidence of halo growing in the SNS linac and limiting the further reduction of beam loss. A set of tools is being developed for detecting of the halo and investigating its origin and dynamics. The set includes high resolution emittance measurements in the injector, laser based emittance measurements at 1 GeV, and high resolution profile measurements along the linac. We will present our experience with useful measurement techniques and data analysis algorithms.
