We have developed a quasilinear theory to understand the energy cascade suggested by Gomberoff et al. (2004), in which there is a transfer of wave energy from long to short wave modes, with the subsequent acceleration and heating of ions, in the case of circularly polarized electromagnetic waves propagating along the magnetic field. For the case of background protons, and small concentration of alpha-particles, numerical results show that for an initial spectrum concentrated at low frequency, there is perpendicular and parallel heating of protons and alpha-particles. Due to energy conservation, this effect occurs at the expense of wave energy. Also, in an energy cascade effect, it is observed that the appearance of modes is at frequencies higher than in the initial spectrum. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.