Unsteady MHD Couette flow in a rotating system

The unsteady hydromagnetic Couette flow of a viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid in a rotating system has been considered. An exact solution of the governing equations has been obtained by using a Laplace transform. Solutions for the velocity distributions as well as shear stresses have been obtained for small times as well as for large times. It is found that for large times the primary velocity decreases with increase in the rotation parameter K-2 while it increases with increase in the magnetic parameter M-2. It is also found that with increase in K-2, the secondary velocity v(1) decreases near the stationary plate while it increases near the moving plate. On the other hand, the secondary velocity decreases with increase in the magnetic parameter. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.