It has been shown that a variety of names are assigned to the original MHD Alfven wave derived originally by Hannes Alfven in the 40s (Nature 150, 405-406 (1942)), and those names are used due to the different magnetic geometries where the target plasma could be confined, that is, in laboratory, in fusion, in space, and in astrophysics, where one could use as working geometry systems such as cartesian, cylindrical, toroidal, dipolar, and even more complex ones. We also show that different names with no new dramatic new physics induce misleading information on what is new and relevant and what is old related to the considered wave mode. We also show that changing the confining geometry and the background plasma kinetic properties, the Alfven wave dispersion properties change accordingly and this change “induces” all types of non-necessary swarm of names for the same MHD shear Alfven wave derived previously by Alfven.
Cite this paper
Assis, A. S. D. , Silva, C. E. D. and Carvalho, V. J. O. W. D. (2020). The Alfven Wave Zoo. Open Access Library Journal, 7, e6378. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1106378.
Alfvén, H. (1942) Existence of Electromagnetic-Hydrodynamic Waves. Nature, 150, 405-406.
Alfvén, H. (1942) On the Existence of Electromagnetic-Hydrodynamic Waves. Arkiv f?r Matematik, Astronomi och Fysik B, 29, 1942.
Alfvén, H. (1950) Cosmic Electrodynamics. Oxford University Press, New York.
Alfvén, H. (1988) Plasma and the Universe. F?lthammar, C.-G., de Bibhas, R., Arrhenius, G., Herlofson, N., Mendis, D.A. and Kopal, Z., Eds., Springer, The Netherlands.
Ip, W.-H. and Mendis, D.A. (1975) The Cometary Magnetic Field and Its Associated Electric Currents. Icarus, 26, 457-461.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(75)90115-3
Coleman, P.J., Sonett, C.P., Judge, D.L. and Smith, E.J. (1960) Some Preliminary Results of the Pioneer V Magnetometer Experiment. Journal of Geophysical Research, 65, 1856-1857. https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ065i006p01856
Berthold, W.K., Harris, A.K. and Hope, H.J. (1960) World-Wide Effects of Hydromagnetic Waves Due to Argus. Journal of Geophysical Research, 65, 2233-2239.
https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ065i008p02233
Arker, E.N. (1973) Extragalactic Cosmic Rays and the Galactic Magnetic Field. Astrophysics and Space Science, 24, 279. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00648691
Hollweg, J.V. (1974) Hydromagnetic Waves in Interplanetary Space. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 86, 561-594. https://doi.org/10.1086/129646
Hasegawa, A. and Uberoi, C. (1982) The Alfven Wave, DOE Critical Review Series, DOE/TIC-11197. Technical Information Center, U.S. Department of Energy, Springfield. https://doi.org/10.2172/5259641
Hasegawa, A. and Chen, L. (1974) Plasma Heating by Alfvén-Wave Phase Mixing. Physical Review Letters, 32, 454. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.32.454
Appert, K., Vaclavik, J. and Villard, L. (1984) Spectrum of Low-Frequency Nonaxisymetric Oscillations in a Cold, Current-Carrying Plasma Column. Physics of Fluids, 27, 432-437. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.864638
Yoon, P.H., Wu, C.S. and De Assis, A.S. (1993) Effect of Finite Ion Gyroradius on the Fire-Hose Instability in a High Beta Plasma. Physics of Fluids B: Plasma Physics, 5, 1971-1979. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860785
Hasegawa, A., Tsui, K.H. and de Assis, A.S. (1983) A Theory of Long Period Magnetic Pulsations, 3. Local Field Line Oscillations. Geophysical Research Letters, 10, 765-767. https://doi.org/10.1029/GL010i008p00765
Elfimov, A.G., de Azevedo, C.A. and de Assis, A.S. (1996) Non Inductive Current Driven by Alfven Waves in Solar Coronal Loops. Solar Physics, 167, 203-216.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146337
Elfimov, A.G., de Azevedo, C.A. and de Assis, A.S. (1994) Coronal Loop Heating by Alfven Waves. Solar Physics, 153, 205-215. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00712502
Kitamura, T. (1998) How Does the Ionosphere Work on ULF? In: de Assis, A.S. and de Azevedo, C.A., Eds., International Workshop on Magnetospheric Plasmas Proceedings, State University of Rio de janeiro (UERJ) and XEROX, Rio de janeiro.
Stasiewicz, K., et al. (2000) Small Scale Alfvénic Structure in the Aurora. Space Science Reviews, 92, 423-533. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005207202143
Hasegawa, A. (1976) Particle Acceleration by MHD Surface Waves and Formation of Aurora. Journal of Geophysical Research, 81, 5083-5090.
https://doi.org/10.1029/JA081i028p05083
Ogilvie, K.W. and Fitzenreiter, R.J. (1989) The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability at the Magnetopouse and Inner Boundary Layer Surface. Journal of Geophysical Research, 94, 15113-15123. https://doi.org/10.1029/JA081i028p05083
Paschmann, G., Haaland, S. and Teeumann, R. (2003) Auroral Plasma Physics. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Space Sciences Series of ISSI, London.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1086-3_1