QUASI-LINEAR STOCHASTIC ELECTRON-ENERGY DIFFUSION DRIVEN BY AN INTENSE CYCLOTRON WAVE IN OBLIQUE PROPAGATION

The dynamics of electrons in a magnetically confined plasma under the action of an intense monochromatic wave is analyzed by means of a rela tivistic Hamiltonian treatment. Oblique wave propagation with respect to the magnetic field is considered. It is found that in the case of g lobal stochasticity the particle acceleration has a diffusive nature. It is shown that in a proper space the energy diffusion equation is on e dimensional. The relevant diffusion coefficient is given by a well d efined local quasilinear expression. The theoretical model is validate d up to high values of the perturbation parameter by comparison with l ong time numerical simulations of the electron motion.