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In the wing frame the unperturbed plasma moves with velocity $-u_0{\mathbf{e}}_x$. The ideal magnetohydrodynamics condition $\mathbf{E}+\mathbf{u}\times \mathbf{B}/c=0$ therefore produces the motional electric fieldThe wing's surface conductivity then gives the surface current densityIts direction also follows directly from the Lorentz force on the wing's mobile charges.

The interface is material in ideal magnetohydrodynamics, so fluid on it remains on it. Its normal displacement ${\xi }_z$ must consequently be the same when approached from either side. Integrating normal momentum balance through an infinitesimal pillbox shows that the Lagrangian total-pressure traction is continuous. Because the equilibrium total pressure is constant on each side and continuous at $z=0$, this reduces to continuity of the Eulerian perturbation $\delta \Pi$. Hence

Integrate each conservative ideal magnetohydrodynamics law through a thin pillbox around the stationary shock. Mass conservation givesThe MHD momentum-flux tensor isIts normal and tangential components givewhere $\Pi =p+B^2/(2{\mu }_0)$ is total pressure. The solenoidal condition gives $[B_x]=0$, while steady Faraday's law gives continuity of tangential electric field,Finally, material energy flux plus the normal Poynting vector component giveswhere $h$ is specific enthalpy per unit mass.

Gravity is a bounded volume force, so its integral across a shock whose thickness tends to zero vanishes. Viscosity and resistivity inside the layer may produce entropy; consequently entropy flux need not be equal on both sides, although the second law requires nonnegative net entropy production.

Uniform ${\rho }_0,p_0,$ and ${\mathbf{B}}_0=B_0\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ obey the unperturbed ideal magnetohydrodynamics equations whenIndeed $({\mathbf{v}}_0\cdot \nabla ){\mathbf{v}}_0=0$, while the Coriolis and tidal terms cancel:

For perturbations proportional to $e^{i(\omega t-kz)}$, the horizontal velocity and magnetic perturbations decouple from the compressive variables. Their linear equations areEliminating $B_x,B_y,v_x,v_y$ and writing the Alfvén speed as $v_A^2=B_0^2/(4\pi {\rho }_0)$ givesSince $d{\Omega }_0^2/d\log r=-2q{\Omega }_0^2$, a root has ${\omega }^2<0$ precisely when the constant term is negative:This is the magnetorotational instability criterion.

For a circular Kepler orbit, $q=3/2$. With $K=k^2{v}_A^2$, the unstable branch isMinimizing it givesand henceThe e-folding time is of order the dynamical time, so the growth is rapid: several e-foldings occur in one orbit.

Instability requires $k^2{v}_A^2<3{\Omega }_0^2$, making the critical wavelength of the magnetorotational instabilityFor a thin isothermal disk, $H=c_{s,0}/{\Omega }_0$. Setting ${\lambda }_{\mathrm{crit}}=2H$ gives $v_A^2=3c_{s,0}^2/{\pi }^2$, and thereforeAbove this field strength the shortest unstable vertical MRI wavelength exceeds the full disk thickness, so no such vertical mode fits inside the disk. Magnetic tension then stabilizes this local mode; the result corresponds to a magnetic-to-gas pressure ratio $B^2/(8\pi p)=3/(2{\pi }^2)$.

A useful ideal magnetohydrodynamics reduction has $\mathbf{u}=\mathbf{v}(z,t)+ax{\mathbf{e}}_y$, $\mathbf{B}=\mathbf{B}(z,t)$ and $\rho =\rho (z,t)$. The constant background shear flow supplies $a{v}_x$ in the axial momentum equation and $a{B}_x$ in axial magnetic induction. The solenoidal constraint and MHD induction equation together make $B_z$ constant.

The high-pressure limit of the slow magnetosonic wave approaches an incompressible polarization in the plane of the background magnetic field and wavevector, perpendicular to the latter. It has the displayed leading dispersion relation, the same as the out-of-plane Alfvén wave. Magnetic tension is the restoring force, and pressure balances the compressive component of the magnetic force. In exactly incompressible homogeneous ideal magnetohydrodynamics it is one of the two transverse magnetic polarizations.

Resistive magnetohydrodynamics retains finite magnetic diffusivity in the coupled evolution of a conducting fluid and its magnetic field. The resistive induction equation allows field diffusion relative to the fluid, while the magnetohydrodynamic momentum equation includes the Lorentz force density. It contrasts with the zero-diffusivity limit of ideal magnetohydrodynamics.

For a stationary, $z$-independent ideal magnetohydrodynamics flow with $E_z=0$, nonzero horizontal magnetic field and nonzero magnetohydrodynamic mass loading $k$, the displayed decomposition has $\mathbf{B}\cdot \nabla k=\mathbf{B}\cdot \nabla U=0$. The continuity equation gives the first invariant, and the ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation gives the second. Entropy and $V=u_z-B_z/({\mu }_{0}k)$ are also constant on each magnetic field line. Stationarity alone permits constant nonzero $E_z$, so it does not imply this decomposition.

Assume zero toroidal loop voltage in smooth steady ideal magnetohydrodynamics, so the poloidal flow aligns with the poloidal magnetic field. Write $\rho {\mathbf{u}}_p=\eta {\mathbf{B}}_p$. The continuity equation makes $\eta$ constant along a magnetic line. The induction equation gives the conserved field-line angular velocity ${\Omega }_F=\Omega -\eta B_{\varphi }/(\rho R)$. The azimuthal momentum equation is $\rho {\mathbf{u}}_p\cdot \nabla (R^2\Omega )={\mathbf{B}}_p\cdot \nabla (R{B}_{\varphi })/{\mu }_0$; hence $L=R^2\Omega -R{B}_{\varphi }/({\mu }_0\eta )$ is also constant along the line.

With $M_{Ap}^2={\mu }_0{\eta }^2/\rho =|{\mathbf{u}}_p{|}^2/v_{Ap}^2$, eliminating $B_{\varphi }$ givesFor $M_{Ap}^2\ll 1$ and nonsingular invariants, $\Omega ={\Omega }_F+O(M_{Ap}^2)$ and matter approximately corotates along a field line. With exactly zero poloidal flow, induction directly gives Ferraro's law of isorotation. The approximation requires the correction $M_{Ap}^2({\Omega }_F-L/R^2)$ to be small on the segment in question.

In axisymmetric ideal magnetohydrodynamics, $\Omega =u_{\varphi }/R$ is the material angular velocity. Cylindrical basis-vector derivatives and mass conservation give the displayed winding equation. Thus $B_{\varphi }/(\rho R)$ is an advected scalar only when ${\mathbf{B}}_p\cdot \nabla \Omega =0$. Differential rotation along a field line otherwise produces toroidal field. This does not violate magnetic flux freezing, which concerns flux through a material surface rather than a cylindrical vector component.

For constant-density incompressible ideal magnetohydrodynamics about $\mathbf{B}=Jr{\mathbf{e}}_{\varphi }$, the cylindrical basis contributions make the linearized Lorentz force equal to $imJ\mathbf{b}+2J{\mathbf{e}}_z\times \mathbf{b}$, apart from a magnetic pressure gradient. The induction equation reduces to $i\omega \mathbf{b}=imJ\mathbf{u}$. Taking the curl after eliminating velocity gives the displayed relation, with $\tilde{J}=J/\sqrt{{\mu }_0\rho }$. A second curl gives a vector Helmholtz equation and squared frequencies ${\omega }^2={\tilde{J}}^2[m^2\pm 2|mk|/({\alpha }^2+k^2{)}^{1/2}]$. The lower $|m|=1$ branch grows when $3k^2>{\alpha }^2$.