Nonlinear scattering of neutrinos by plasma waves : a ponderomotive force description

The nonlinear scattering of an intense flux of neutrinos by plasma oscillations is formulated in terms of the ponderomotive force description. Starting with the refractive index of electron neutrinos we show that the neutrinos exert a force on the electrons which is proportional to the gradient of the neutrino energy density. This force acts to expel electrons from regions where the neutrino intensity is greatest