Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2007 / iii / Paper 65 / 2

Let the equilibrium ideal gas be at rest, with uniform ${\rho }_0,p_0$ and ${\mathbf{B}}_0=B_0{\mathbf{e}}_z$. This local wave calculation neglects gravity, viscosity and magnetic diffusion. Define the adiabatic sound speed $c\equiv v_s=(\gamma p_0/{\rho }_0{)}^{1/2}$, the Alfvén speed $v_a=B_0/({\mu }_0{\rho }_0{)}^{1/2}$, and a wavevector $\mathbf{k}=k(\sin \theta ,0,\cos \theta )$, where $k=|\mathbf{k}|$ and $\theta$ is its angle to the equilibrium magnetic field. Perturbations have dependence $e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}-i\omega t}$ and phase speed $v=\omega /k$.

The linearized ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations for mass conservation, pressure, induction and momentum giveThe relation between pressure and mass density follows from eliminating $\mathbf{k}\cdot {\mathbf{u}}^{\prime }$ between the two material evolution equations; it applies to the nonzero-frequency wave sector. The induction result automatically has $\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{b}=0$.

The $y$ MHD wave polarization is perpendicular to both the field and wavevector. It has $\delta p=\delta \rho =0$ and obeysThus the transverse Alfvén wave hasIn the $x$-$z$ plane the two remaining velocity components instead obey the symmetric matrix eigenproblemTaking its determinant gives $v^4-(c^2+v_a^2)v^2+c^2{v}_a^2{\cos }^2\theta =0$. Solving this quadratic equation in $v^2$ derives both magnetoacoustic wave phase speeds,The plus sign is the fast magnetosonic wave, the minus sign the slow magnetosonic wave. The radicand is nonnegative, since it equals $[(c^2-v_a^2{)}^2+4c^2{v}_a^2{\sin }^2\theta ]/4$. Both squared speeds are nonnegative. Each nonzero mode has forward and backward propagation; an advected entropy disturbance is a separate zero-frequency mode in this static equilibrium.

Set $ϵ=v_a^2/c^2\ll 1$. Expanding the square root in part (a) givesHence, to first absolute order in $ϵ$,The high-pressure limit of magnetosonic waves can also be expressed as nonnegative speeds. Retaining the next squared-speed term gives the first relative correction for the slow mode:The exact Alfvén speed along the propagation direction remains $v_a|\cos \theta |$.

The fast magnetosonic wave is predominantly an acoustic wave, with velocity almost parallel to $\mathbf{k}$ and appreciable mass density and gas pressure variations. Its magnetic pressure correction is weak. The Alfvén wave is exactly incompressible, polarized perpendicular to the $\mathbf{k}$-${\mathbf{B}}_0$ plane and restored by magnetic tension.

The slow magnetosonic wave is polarized inside that plane and almost perpendicular to $\mathbf{k}$. Indeed, the leading sound speed part of the matrix in (a) annihilates a vector perpendicular to $\mathbf{k}$, so only the smaller magnetic restoring force acts on that MHD wave polarization. Its compression is smaller by order $ϵ$, with gas pressure changes almost cancelling magnetic pressure changes. It is often called the pseudo-Alfvén wave MHD wave polarization in this high pressure limit. Thus two distinct almost-incompressible magnetic MHD wave polarizations have the same leading speed, while the third is predominantly sound. For exactly perpendicular propagation the Alfvén wave and slow magnetosonic wave frequencies vanish; for parallel propagation the two transverse magnetic MHD wave polarizations are degenerate.

Take $B_0=B_z>0$, $v_a=B_0/\sqrt{{\mu }_0{\rho }_0}$ and $\zeta =k(z-v_{a}t)$. The transverse ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation and magnetohydrodynamic momentum equation are satisfied by $u_x=-B_x/\sqrt{{\mu }_0{\rho }_0}$, $u_y=u_z=0$, with constant mass density. However, the longitudinal magnetohydrodynamic momentum equation also requiresHere $B_x^2=a^2{B}_0^2{\cos }^2\zeta$ is not constant. Balancing its gradient would requireThe adiabatic pressure equation instead gives ${\partial }_{t}p=0$, since this velocity is divergence-free and has no component along the spatial variation. No choice of $p_{\ast }(t)$ removes the spatially varying time derivative. Thus a nontrivial finite-amplitude linearly polarized sinusoidal Alfvén wave is not an exact pure traveling wave in a compressible ideal fluid. The magnetic-pressure obstruction to a linearly polarized Alfvén wave is quadratic in $a$, so the wave is a valid linear approximation and drives a compressive response at higher order. In an incompressible model pressure is a constraint variable; it is not governed by the same compressible adiabatic evolution law.

Allowing longitudinal flow and varying mass density does not rescue a regular one-dimensional periodic traveling solution with precisely this transverse magnetic field. To see this, let $U=u_z-v_a$ and use the traveling coordinate. Integrated continuity, induction and transverse momentum givewhere $m,A,D$ are constants. Eliminating $u_x$ givesAt any zero of $B_x$, finite mass density and velocity require the right side to vanish. Wherever $B_x\ne 0$, the coefficient then vanishes and fixes $\rho ={\mu }_0{m}^2/B_0^2$, constant; continuity fixes $U$, and adiabatic entropy transport fixes $p$. The longitudinal magnetohydrodynamic momentum equation again contradicts the varying $B_x^2$. The alternative $m=0$ makes transverse momentum force $B_x$ constant. Trivial cases such as $a=0$ or $k=0$ are excluded from the nontrivial wave conclusion.

For the circular MHD wave polarization, $B_x^2+B_y^2=a^2{B}_0^2$ is constant. Choose any constant ${\rho }_0>0,p_0>0$, put $v_a=B_0/\sqrt{{\mu }_0{\rho }_0}$ and takeThis gives a circularly polarized nonlinear Alfvén wave of arbitrary amplitude. All fields depend only on $z,t$, and $u_z=0$, so $\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla \mathbf{u}=0$ and $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}=0$. Constant mass density and pressure then satisfy continuity and the adiabatic pressure equation, and $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{B}=0$ because $B_z$ is constant.

The remaining ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation and transverse magnetohydrodynamic momentum equation areSince ${\partial }_t=-v_a{\partial }_z$ on the traveling profiles and ${\mathbf{u}}_{\perp }=-(v_a/B_0){\mathbf{B}}_{\perp }$, both identities hold exactly when $v_a^2=B_0^2/({\mu }_0{\rho }_0)$. The longitudinal magnetohydrodynamic momentum equation holds because $p+|{\mathbf{B}}_{\perp }{|}^2/(2{\mu }_0)$ is constant. The circularly polarized wave is therefore an exact nonlinear solution even though the fluid is compressible. Compressibility permits mass density changes; it does not require every possible motion to compress the gas.