An exact solution for the magnetic diffusion problem with a step-function resistivity model

Abstract

In the magnetic diffusion problem, a magnetic diffusion equation is coupled by an Ohmic heating energy equation. The Ohmic heating can make the magnetic diffusion coefficient (i. e., the resistivity) vary violently, and make the diffusion a highly nonlinear process. For this reason, the problem is normally very hard to be solved analytically. In this article, under the condition of a step-function resistivity and a constant boundary magnetic field, we successfully derived an exact solution for this nonlinear problem, which should be an interesting thing in the area of partial differential equations. What's more, the solution could serve as a valuable benchmark example for testing simulation methods of the magnetic diffusion problem.