Understanding time-resolved images of AWAKE proton bunches

Abstract This article details how images of proton microbunch trains obtained from streak camera measurements may differ from actual microbunch trains inside the plasma, at the plasma exit. We use the same procedure as when comparing simulation results with measurements: create a particle distribution at the plasma exit using particle-in-cell simulations, propagate it to the location of the measurement and add diagnostic apertures and instrument resolution. From comparing distributions, we identify that changes in microbunch divergence and/or dimensions along trains result in differences between the charge distribution in reality and in the measurement. Additionally, we observe that instrument resolution reduces the observed modulation depth, with more reduction for shorter microbunches.