Theory and Numerical Approximations of Fractional Integrals and Derivatives

Book excerpt: Due to its ubiquity across a variety of fields in science and engineering, fractional calculus has gained momentum in industry and academia. While a number of books and papers introduce either fractional calculus or numerical approximations, no current literature provides a comprehensive collection of both topics. This monograph introduces fundamental information on fractional calculus, provides a detailed treatment of existing numerical approximations, and presents an inclusive review of fractional calculus in terms of theory and numerical methods and systematically examines almost all existing numerical approximations for fractional integrals and derivatives. The authors consider the relationship between the fractional Laplacian and the Riesz derivative, a key component absent from other related texts, and highlight recent developments, including their own research and results. The core audience spans several fractional communities, including those interested in fractional partial differential equations, the fractional Laplacian, and applied and computational mathematics. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students will find the material suitable as a primary or supplementary resource for their studies.