  The heating of the plasma in the solar atmosphere is discussed within both
frameworks of fluid and kinetic drift wave theory. We show that the basic
ingredient necessary for the heating is the presence of density gradients in
the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field vector. Such density
gradients are a source of free energy for the excitation of drift waves. We use
only well established basic theory, verified experimentally in laboratory
plasmas. Two mechanisms of the energy exchange and heating are shown to take
place simultaneously: one due to the Landau effect in the direction parallel to
the magnetic field, and another one, stochastic heating, in the perpendicular
direction. The stochastic heating i) is due to the electrostatic nature of the
waves, ii) is more effective on ions than on electrons, iii) acts predominantly
in the perpendicular direction, iv) heats heavy ions more efficiently than
lighter ions, and v) may easily provide a drift wave heating rate that is
orders of magnitude above the value that is presently believed to be sufficient
for the coronal heating, i.e., $\simeq 6 \cdot 10^{-5} $J/(m$^3$s) for active
regions and $\simeq 8 \cdot 10^{-6} $J/(m$^3$s) for coronal holes. This heating
acts naturally through well known effects that are, however, beyond the current
standard models and theories.
