  Kinetic theory of particles near resonances is a current topic of discussion
in plasma physics and astrophysics. We extend this discussion to the kinetic
theory of the interaction between alpha particles (energetic particles
predicted to exist in large quantities in next-generation fusion experiments)
and a neoclassical tearing mode (NTM), a resistively-driven perturbation that
sometimes exists in a tokamak. We develop a quasilinear treatment of the
interaction between alphas and an NTM, showing why an NTM can be a source of
significant passing alpha particle transport in tokamaks. The limitations on
quasilinear theory constrain our theory's applicability to small amplitude
NTMs, highlighting the importance of nonlinear studies.
