MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC PONDEROMOTIVE FORCES GENERATED ABOUT ALFVEN RESONANCE LAYERS

The total ponderomotive force produced by radio frequency electric and magnetic fields about the spatial resonances of the shear Alfven wave is derived. The time-averaged currents and plasma transport that resu lt from these forces are also derived. The wave analysis is based on a resistive magnetohydrodynamic fluid. A relationship between the time- averaged rates of change of wave energy dissipation and wave momentum dissipation in the resonant layers is found. Since the deposited wave momentum in the Alfven resonant layers alters the plasma transport loc ally, control of the density profile is a possible application of this theory. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.