Linear and nonlinear Alfvén wave propagation in compressible MHD plasmas

Abstract

Evolution of both low-frequency harmonic Alfvén wave train and Alfvén solitary wave is studied by using the compressible MHD fluid model. A critical point is found at which linear wave theory should be replaced by a nonlinear one. A small, but finite amplitude Alfvén solitary wave is numerically found. The head-on collision between an Alfvén wave train and an Alfvén solitary wave is also numerically investigated. An interesting result is that there is no phase shift for both colliding waves which is different from that between two KdV solitary waves.