Alfvén wave

American

noun

a type of oscillation of plasma particles, consisting of transverse waves propagating along the magnetic field lines in a plasma.

Alfvén wave British

/ æˈvɛn /

noun

a generally transverse magnetohydrodynamic wave that is propagated in a plasma

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Alfvén wave

Named after (Hannes O. G.) Alfvén ( def. )

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

Alfvén wave

"This research provides essential validation for the range of theoretical models that describe how Alfvén wave turbulence powers the solar atmosphere," added Professor Morton.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2025

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023