Alfvén wave

An Alfvén wave is a type of magnetic wave that travels through a plasma, which is a hot, ionized gas like that found in the sun or space. It occurs when magnetic field lines are disturbed, causing the charged particles in the plasma to oscillate in a wave-like motion along the magnetic field lines. These waves transfer energy and momentum without carrying matter with them, and they play a key role in processes like solar wind propagation and space weather phenomena. Essentially, they are ripples in the magnetic and plasma environment that move through space plasmas.