The propagation of magneto-elastic plane waves

The propagation of magneto-elastic plane waves is a topic which has recently aroused much interest. Thus Paria ((l)), for example, and the present author ((2)), have studied in some detail the interaction between the magneto-elastic field and the thermal field. Analyses published so far, however, have neglected the effects due to the passage of the wave upon the magnetic permeability of the medium. It is the object of the present paper to consider these effects and it will be shown that although the elastic strains induced cause but a small change in the numerical values of the permeability, nevertheless the effects upon wave propagation may be very considerable. The principal result is the demonstration that the effects considered are equivalent so far as the dispersion equation is concerned, to an anisotropic rescaling of the primary magnetic field, the direction of propagation of the wave being a preferred direction. For simplicity, thermal effects are not considered here.