Homotopy analysis of MHD boundary layer flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid

The problem of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary layer flow of an upper-convected Maxwell (UCM) fluid is considered for the analytical solution using homotopy analysis method (HAM). The non-linear partial differential equations are transformed to an ordinary differential equation first taking boundary layer approximations into account and then using the similarity transformations. The analytical solution is presented in the form of an infinite series. The recurrence formulae for finding the coefficients are presented and the convergence is established. The effects of the Deborah number and MHD parameter is discussed on the velocity profiles and the skin friction coefficients. It is found that the results are in excellent agreement with the existing results in the literature for the case of hydrodynamic flow. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.