Functional Fractional Calculus

When a new extraordinary and outstanding theory is stated, it has to face criticism and skeptism, because it is beyond the usual concept. The fractional calculus though not new, was not discussed or developed for a long time, particularly for lack of its application to real life problems. It is extraordinary because it does not deal with ‘ordinary’ differential calculus. It is outstanding because it can now be applied to situations where existing theories fail to give satisfactory results. In this book not only mathematical abstractions are discussed in a lucid manner, with physical mathematical and geometrical explanations, but also several practical applications are given particularly for system identification, description and then efficient controls. The normal physical laws like, transport theory, electrodynamics, equation of motions, elasticity, viscosity, and several others of are based on ‘ordinary’ calculus. In this book these physical laws are generalized in fractional calculus contexts; taking, heterogeneity effect in transport background, the space having traps or islands, irregular distribution of charges, non-ideal spring with mass connected to a pointless-mass ball, material behaving with viscous as well as elastic properties, system relaxation with and without memory, physics of random delay in computer network; and several others; mapping the reality of nature closely. The concept of fractional and complex order differentiation and integration are elaborated mathematically, physically and geometrically with examples. The practical utility of local fractional differentiation for enhancing the character of singularity at phase transition or characterizing the irregularity measure of response function is deliberated. Practical results of viscoelastic experiments, fractional order controls experiments, design of fractional controller and practical circuit synthesis for fractional order elements are elaborated in this book. The book also maps theory of classical integer order differential equations to fractional calculus contexts, and deals in details with conflicting and demanding initialization issues, required in classical techniques. The book presents a modern approach to solve the ‘solvable’ system of fractional and other differential equations, linear, non-linear; without perturbation or transformations, but by applying physical principle of action-and-opposite-reaction, giving ‘approximately exact’ series solutions. Historically, Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wihelm Leibniz independently discovered calculus in the middle of the 17th century. In recognition to this remarkable discovery, J.von Neumann remarked, “...the calculus was the first achievement of modern mathematics and it is difficult to overestimate its importance. I think it defines more equivocally than anything else the inception of modern mathematical analysis which is logical development, still constitute the greatest technical advance in exact thinking.” This XXI century has thus started to ‘think-exactly’ for advancement in science & technology by growing application of fractional calculus, and this century has started speaking the language which nature understands the best.

In this book, not only are mathematical abstractions discussed in a lucid manner, but also several practical applications are given particularly for system identification, description and then efficient controls. The reader gets a feeling of the wide applicability of fractional calculus in the field of science and engineering. With this book, a starter can understand the concepts of this emerging field with a minimal effort and basic mathematics.

This book presents a simplified deliberation of fractional calculus, which will appeal not only to beginners, but also to various applied science mathematicians and engineering researchers. The text develops the ideas behind this new field of mathematics, beginning at the most elementary level, before discussing its actual applications in different areas of science and engineering. This book shows that the simple, classical laws based on Newtonian calculus, which work quite well under limiting and idealized conditions, are not of much use in describing the dynamics of actual systems. As such, the application of non-Newtonian, or generalized, calculus in the governing equations, allows the order of differentiation and integration to take on non-integer values.

General Fractional Derivatives: Theory, Methods and Applications provides knowledge of the special functions with respect to another function, and the integro-differential operators where the integrals are of the convolution type and exist the singular, weakly singular and nonsingular kernels, which exhibit the fractional derivatives, fractional integrals, general fractional derivatives, and general fractional integrals of the constant and variable order without and with respect to another function due to the appearance of the power-law and complex herbivores to figure out the modern developments in theoretical and applied science. Features: Give some new results for fractional calculus of constant and variable orders. Discuss some new definitions for fractional calculus with respect to another function. Provide definitions for general fractional calculus of constant and variable orders. Report new results of general fractional calculus with respect to another function. Propose news special functions with respect to another function and their applications. Present new models for the anomalous relaxation and rheological behaviors. This book serves as a reference book and textbook for scientists and engineers in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering, senior undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Xiao-Jun Yang is a full professor of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, at China University of Mining and Technology, China. He is currently an editor of several scientific journals, such as Fractals, Applied Numerical Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling and Analysis, International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, and Thermal Science.

​The Variable-Order Fractional Calculus of Variations is devoted to the study of fractional operators with variable order and, in particular, variational problems involving variable-order operators. This brief presents a new numerical tool for the solution of differential equations involving Caputo derivatives of fractional variable order. Three Caputo-type fractional operators are considered, and for each one, an approximation formula is obtained in terms of standard (integer-order) derivatives only. Estimations for the error of the approximations are also provided. The contributors consider variational problems that may be subject to one or more constraints, where the functional depends on a combined Caputo derivative of variable fractional order. In particular, they establish necessary optimality conditions of Euler–Lagrange type. As the terminal point in the cost integral is free, as is the terminal state, transversality conditions are also obtained. The Variable-Order Fractional Calculus of Variations is a valuable source of information for researchers in mathematics, physics, engineering, control and optimization; it provides both analytical and numerical methods to deal with variational problems. It is also of interest to academics and postgraduates in these fields, as it solves multiple variational problems subject to one or more constraints in a single brief.

In the last two decades, fractional (or non integer) differentiation has played a very important role in various fields such as mechanics, electricity, chemistry, biology, economics, control theory and signal and image processing. For example, in the last three fields, some important considerations such as modelling, curve fitting, filtering, pattern recognition, edge detection, identification, stability, controllability, observability and robustness are now linked to long-range dependence phenomena. Similar progress has been made in other fields listed here. The scope of the book is thus to present the state of the art in the study of fractional systems and the application of fractional differentiation. As this volume covers recent applications of fractional calculus, it will be of interest to engineers, scientists, and applied mathematicians.

This book covers applications of fractional calculus used for medical and health science. It offers a collection of research articles built into chapters on classical and modern dynamical systems formulated by fractional differential equations describing human diseases and how to control them. The mathematical results included in the book will be helpful to mathematicians and doctors by enabling them to explain real-life problems accurately. The book will also offer case studies of real-life situations with an emphasis on describing the mathematical results and showing how to apply the results to medical and health science, and at the same time highlighting modeling strategies. The book will be useful to graduate level students, educators and researchers interested in mathematics and medical science.