3-D Simulations of Plasma Wakefield Acceleration with Non-Idealized Plasmas and Beams.

3-D Particle-in-cell OSIRIS simulations of the current E-162 Plasma Wakefield Accelerator Experiment are presented in which a number of non-ideal conditions are modeled simultaneously. These include tilts on the beam in both planes, asymmetric beam emittance, beam energy spread and plasma inhomogeneities both longitudinally and transverse to the beam axis. The relative importance of the non-ideal conditions is discussed and a worstcase estimate of the effect of these on energy gain is obtained. The simulation output is then propagated through the downstream optics, drift spaces and apertures leading to the experimental diagnostics to provide insight into the differences between actual beam conditions and what is measured. The work represents a milestone in the level of detail of simulation comparisons to plasma experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]