Observations of "effective" transverse beam-size instabilities for a high current per bunch fill pattern in the APS storage ring

The X-ray pinhole camera diagnostics on the Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring have recorded an "effective" transverse beam size instability during operations with a sextuplet plus 22 singlets fill pattern. These instabilities were not observed with the sextuplet plus 25 triplets fill pattern that has been the standard fill pattern in FY'98. The instability threshold is at 82-85 mA with positrons. The features include an increased average (few seconds) transverse size both horizontally anti vertically for stored currents above the threshold with a correlated effect on the beam lifetime. The horizontal transverse emittance is 25-30% larger at 100 mA than below the threshold. There is a related horizontal beam centroid motion as well, but this does not explain the vertical size change nor the lifetime effect. Complementary data were also taken with the diagnostic undulator, and a similar threshold effect on divergence was observed. The cross-comparison of the data and possible mechanisms are presented.