Waves and oscillations in magnetic fields

This paper gives an overview of the theory of MHD waves in magnetic plasma configurations in the solar atmosphere. The emphasis is on basic properties that are independent of specific equilibrium models but are rather related to the intrinsic structuring and non-uniformity of the plasma. The discussion is confined to MHD waves in uniform and 1-d cylindrical equilibrium models of magnetic flux tubes with a straight magnetic field. These models contain sufficient physics for understanding basic properties of MHD waves and still allow for a relatively straightforward and transparent mathematical analysis.