2007 , Volume 12, № 4, p.3-16

In this paper we have investigated the unsteady flow of blood by treating it as an incompressible, Newtonian, electrically conducting fluid in a straight segment of an elastic artery subject to a uniform transverse magnetic field. The problem is solved numerically with the theoretical assumption of 'local flow' model~\cite{Dutta1}. A sinusoidal variation of the arterial wall motion and a pulsatile pressure gradient have been studied. An implicit finite difference technique is used to analyze the flow. The values of the rheological parameters of blood available in scientific literatures are assumed in order to simulate the results for various parts of the cardiovascular system. The effects of wall motion and magnetic field on velocity profile and the variation of the wall shear stress and the flow rate with time in cycle are presented graphically. The study shows that blood velocity as well as arterial wall shear stress decreases with the increase in magnetic field strength. This study should thus be of profound interest to clinicians because the application of the external magnetic field bears the potential to control the flow of blood. The results can thus be useful in the treatment of arterial diseases, like hypertension.