The present paper is concerned with magneto-visco-elastic surface wave
s in conducting media involving time rate of strain and stress of firs
t order, the media being under an initial stress of hydrostatic tensio
n or compression. The theory of magneto-visco-elastic surface waves in
a conducting medium involving time rate of strain and stress of first
order is derived under an initial stress. The above general theory is
then employed to characterise Rayleigh, Love and Stoneley waves. Resu
lts obtained in the above cases reduce to well-known classical results
when viscosity and magnetic field are absent.