Theory of Ponderomotive Stabilization of a Magnetically Confined Plasma

Abstract

A self-consistent description is obtained for the low-frequency evolution of a plasma, the electromagnetic field that confines it, and the amplitude of a high-frequency antenna-driven field. The ponderomotive energy of the system is related to the antenna reactive energy. Equilibrium equations and a variational principle for stability are given in terms of ion and electron ponderomotive forces, magnetization current, and self-consistent modification of the high-frequency field.