Introduction to the fractional calculus of variations / Agnieszka B. Malinowska, Delfim F.M. Torres.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Malinowska, Agnieszka B.

Contributor:

Torres, Delfim F. M.

Isaac Norris Library Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fractional calculus.

Calculus of variations.

Physical Description:

xvi, 275 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

London : Imperial College Press, [2012]

Summary:

This invaluable book provides a broad introduction to the fascinating and beautiful subject of Fractional Calculus of Variations (FCV). In 1996, FCV was created in order to better describe non-conservative systems in mechanics. The inclusion of non-conservatism is extremely important from the point of view of applications. Forces that do not store energy are always present in real systems. They remove energy from the systems and, as a consequence, Noether's conservation laws cease to be valid. However, it is still possible to obtain the validity of Noether's principle using FCV. The new theory provides a more realistic approach to physics, allowing us to consider non-conservative systems in a natural way. The authors prove the necessary Euler-Lagrange conditions and corresponding Noether theorems for several types of fractional variational problems, with and without constraints, using Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms. Sufficient optimality conditions are also obtained under convexity, and Leitmann's direct method is discussed within the framework of FCV.

The book is self-contained and unified in presentation. It may be used as an advanced textbook by graduate students and ambitious undergraduates in mathematics and mechanics. It provides an opportunity for an introduction to FCV for experienced researchers. The explanations in the book are detailed, in order to capture the interest of the curious reader, and the book provides the necessary background material required to go further into the subject and explore the rich research literature. Book jacket.

Contents:

1. The classical calculus of variations

2. Fractional calculus of variations via Riemann-Liouville operators

3. Fractional calculus of variations via Caputo operators

4. Other approaches to the fractional calculus of variations

5. Towards a combined fractional mechanics and quantization.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 261-269) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Isaac Norris Library Fund.

ISBN:

1848169663

9781848169661

OCLC:

792880935

Publisher Number:

99953343733