 Solution

Write $u=u_x$ and $B=B_z$. In this geometry the Lorentz force density is purely longitudinal and equals $-{\partial }_x(B^2/2{\mu }_0){\mathbf{e}}_x$. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation becomes $B_t+{\partial }_x(uB)=0$. Together with the continuity equation and adiabatic pressure evolution, the four primitive-variable equations areThey have the required quasilinear form ${\mathbf{U}}_t+A{\mathbf{U}}_x=0$ withHere the notation $u_x$ in derivatives means ${\partial }_{x}u$, whereas $u$ denotes the longitudinal velocity. Spatial dependence is one-dimensional; time dependence is allowed in the wave problem.

Put $c_f^2=\gamma p/\rho +B^2/({\mu }_0\rho )$, and assume $\rho >0$ and $c_f>0$. Expansion of the characteristic polynomial givesTwo independent eigenvectors for ${\lambda }_0$ can be chosen as $(1,0,0,0{)}^T$ and $(0,-B/{\mu }_0,0,1{)}^T$. For the two propagating branches, useful eigenvectors areThe repeated branch advects an entropy disturbance and a disturbance with unchanged total gas-plus-magnetic pressure. The $\pm$ branches are perpendicular fast magnetosonic waves, with speed $c_f$ relative to the fluid.

On a uniform background, a Fourier amplitude $\hat{\mathbf{U}}{e}^{i(kx-\omega t)}$ obeys $(kA-\omega I)\hat{\mathbf{U}}=0$. Thus the eigenvalues are the phase velocities $\omega /k$ for $k\ne 0$, and the four dispersion branches are $\omega =ku$ twice and $\omega =k(u\pm c_f)$. The reduced geometry retains neither an independent transverse velocity nor an additional propagating Alfvén wave.

To construct each finite-amplitude simple wave in magnetohydrodynamics, trace a state-space curve with tangent $r_{\pm }$, using $\rho$ as its parameter. Integrating the pressure and magnetic components givesThe constants $K$ and $b$ are the entropy and transverse magnetic flux freezing invariants along this state curve. HenceSince $A{\mathbf{U}}_{\rho }={\lambda }_{\pm }{\mathbf{U}}_{\rho }$, substituting this curve into the original system reduces it to ${\rho }_t+{\lambda }_{\pm }(\rho ){\rho }_x=0$. By the chain rule,Thus the characteristic speed itself satisfies the Inviscid Burgers equation. For initial speed $L(a)$, its smooth solution is ${\lambda }_{\pm }=L(a)$ along $x=a+tL(a)$, until the characteristic curves intersect. This derivation supplies genuine state curves for simple waves, not merely a linear dispersion relation.