Ponderomotive Force in a Dispersive Medium in a Variable Electromagnetic Field

Abstract

The form of the stress tensor and of the ponderomotive force in a dispersive medium in which there is a fast-varying electromagnetic field present is discussed. By carefully taking into account the symmetry of the stress tensor, an extra contribution to the ponderomotive force, not found so far by other authors, has been found, which can lead to the self-generation of magnetic fields in a turbulent plasma.