In the presence of magnetic induction and electrical fields several types of discontinuities may exist in an electrically conducting fluid. These phenomena can be described by the laws of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy; Maxwell's electromagnetic equations, and Ohm's law. Those discontinuities, which can be characterized by the conditions that both the temperature and density change across them are different from zero, are called magneto-hydrodynamic shock waves. This monograph is concerned with the study of these types of discontinuities.

Fast and slow magnetohydrodynamic shock waves of arbitrary strength, for general equations of state and for arbitrary non-zero viscosity matrix, are shown to possess structure. (Author).

Studies based on the Rankine-Hugoniot relations have classified MHO shock waves as fast, switch-on, intermediate, switch-off, and slow. Any waves found in nature must also: (a) possess steady-state structures and (b) be stable in the presence of small-flow disturbances. In this monograph, Dr. Anderson examines these criteria in relation to plane shocks for which the collision frequency is large compared with cyclotron frequency. It contains a three-dimensional graphic representation of shock end states and presents an exact solution for the shock adiabatic curve in a convenient form. An MIT Press Research Monograph.