Effect of thermal pressure on upward plasma fluxes due to ponderomotive force of Alfvén waves

Abstract. We consider the action of the ponderomotive force of low-frequency Alfvén waves on the distribution of the background plasma. It is assumed that the ponderomotive force for traveling waves arises as a result of the background inhomogeneity of medium under study. Expressions for the ponderomotive force obtained in this paper differ from previous analogous results. The induced magnetic moment of medium is taken into account. It is shown that the well-known Pitayevsky's formula for the magnetic moment is not complete. The role of the induced nonlinear thermal pressure in the evolution of the background plasma is considered. We give estimations for plasma displacement due to the long- and short-acting nonlinear wave perturbations. Some discussion of the ponderomotive action of standing waves is provided.