MHD oblique stagnation-point flow of a Newtonian fluid

The steady two-dimensional oblique stagnation-point flow of an electrically conducting Newtonian fluid in the presence of a uniform external electromagnetic field (E 0, H 0) is analysed, and some physical situations are examined. In particular, if E 0 vanishes, H 0 lies in the plane of the flow, with a direction not parallel to the boundary, and the induced magnetic field is neglected, it is proved that the oblique stagnation-point flow exists if and only if the external magnetic field is parallel to the dividing streamline. In all cases it is shown that the governing nonlinear partial differential equations admit similarity solutions, and the resulting ordinary differential problems are solved numerically. Finally, the behaviour of the flow near the boundary is analysed; this depends on the Hartmann number if H 0 is parallel to the dividing streamline. © 2011 Springer Basel AG.