Maps for electron clouds

The electron cloud effect has been studied by means of detailed simulation codes that typically track the particles' evolution under the influence of the corresponding electromagnetic forces and fields. In this paper we show that, for the RHIC case, the electron cloud can be treated from an abstract point of view as a bunch to bunch evolution using simple maps. Secondly, we show how this treatment yields a useful conclusion, which is otherwise difficult to obtain: for a fixed number of bunches and total beam current in RHIC, it is possible to determine the best way to distribute the bunch pattern around the ring to minimize the electron cloud formation. This application is an example of how maps become a useful tool for exploring the electron cloud evolution in parameter space.