This paper is a computational study of nonlinear resonant particle trajectories in wave fields consisting of an array of narrow-band waves of closely spaced frequencies and wavenumbers. It looks at two analogous systems, cyclotron resonance with a whistler wavefield and Landau resonance with an electrostatic wave field. It is found that the wave array is able to trap particles in much the same way as a single mode. Inhomogeneity plays a vital role by causing the energy of trapped particles to change.

The nonlinear resonant particle current is such as to preserve the modal structure of the wave field, and it does not change the frequency of an individual mode. Power distribution amongst the modes is far from even. Most of the energy goes into the mode at one end of the array, depending on the direction of the inhomogeneity. Also, nonlinear resonant particle excitation of a broad band signal was found to cause spectral structuring to develop automatically.

The theory was applied to one of Coroniti's FTRS analyses of banded chorus elements. The observed spectral behaviour closely accorded with the computational results. The numbers involved fitted the theory very well, and strongly suggested that nonlinear cyclotron resonant particle excitation is the mechanism for banded chorus.