Thermal characteristics of solar energy-assisted ternary hybrid nanofluid flow over an oblique oscillatory stagnation point in stationary and moving coordinate systems

Energy resources drive economic growth, but declining nonrenewable reserves have intensified interest in solar energy as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. This study examines solar radiation and thermal transport in ternary nanocomposites composed of water mixed with gold, ferrous oxide, and titanium oxide nanoparticles. The analysis considers oblique stagnation-point flow in both moving and fixed reference frames, subject to periodic surface heating and variable fluid properties. Two thermal conductivity models, Yamada–Ota and Xue, are employed to evaluate heat transfer characteristics. Magnetic field effects and nonuniform heat sources and sinks are also included. Similarity transformations convert the governing equations into differential form, which is solved numerically using MATLAB’s bvp4c solver. Results show that stronger magnetic fields reduce the fluid velocity in both frames. Higher absorption and irradiation parameters enhance thermal energy, radiative heat flux, and temperature distribution. Greater heat transfer capability is demonstrated by the Xue model’s higher Nusselt numbers, which are approximately 18–19% higher in the stationary frame and 19–47% higher in the moving frame compared to the Yamada–Ota model. Additionally, streamline plots illustrate the flow structure, and a comparison with previously published studies demonstrates strong agreement, validating the proposed model. Clinical trial register: This study is not a clinical trial.