rf-induced stability and transport in axisymmetric tandem mirrors

A kinetic theory of the ponderomotive force on a plasma due to an electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave is developed and applied to axisymmetric mirrors. The force due to nonresonant particles is shown to modify the usual MHD interchange stability criterion. Resonant particle contributions to the force arise from the absorption of photon momentum and spin. This effect drives a radial particle flux, modifies the radial ambipolar potential profile, and couples transport and stability