Analytic solutions of simple waves

B. Riemann furnished the general solution of simple waves in 18601] But it is difficult to find out the exact forms of the arbitrary function contained in the general solution which must satisfy boundary or initial conditions. For this reason it is inconvenient to probe into the characteristics of concrete problems. In this paper the analytic solutions of simple waves are afforded according to the geometric theory of quasi-linear partial differential equation, and they are determined with boundary or initial conditions. By using these solutions the specific properties of certain flows are discussed and novel results are obtained.