Recent lead ion storage tests on LEAR

With the completion of the antiproton physics program, the Low Energy Antiproton Ring is now available to be used as an accumulator ring for heavy ions in the LBC injector chain. The proposed scheme for the injection of Pb ions is given, where an intensity gain of 125 is obtained by accumulating Pb ions with electron cooling in the LEAR ring. With a linac cycling at 10 Hz and cooling times faster than 100 ms, 20 pulses can be accumulated in 2 s before transfer to the PS, the next machine in the chain. A number of machine experiments have been performed and will continue this year, in order to establish the techniques required. We discuss injection line tests, ion beam lifetime and vacuum measurements and cooling time measurements.