Shakoor Pooseh

Shakoor Pooseh, Ricardo Almeida, Delfim F. M. Torres

Two approximations, derived from continuous expansions of Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives into series involving integer order derivatives, are studied. Using those series, one can formally transform any problem that contains fractional derivatives into a classical problem in which only derivatives of integer order are present. Corresponding approximations provide useful numerical tools to compute fractional derivatives of functions. Application of such approximations to fractional differential equations and fractional problems of the calculus of variations are discussed. Illustrative examples show the advantages and disadvantages of each approximation.

Shakoor Pooseh, Ricardo Almeida, Delfim F. M. Torres

Finite differences, as a subclass of direct methods in the calculus of variations, consist in discretizing the objective functional using appropriate approximations for derivatives that appear in the problem. This article generalizes the same idea for fractional variational problems. We consider a minimization problem with a Lagrangian that depends on the left Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative. Using the Grunwald-Letnikov definition, we approximate the objective functional in an equispaced grid as a multi-variable function of the values of the unknown function on mesh points. The problem is then transformed to an ordinary static optimization problem. The solution to the latter problem gives an approximation to the original fractional problem on mesh points.

Shakoor Pooseh, Ricardo Almeida, Delfim F. M. Torres

We obtain series expansion formulas for the Hadamard fractional integral and fractional derivative of a smooth function. When considering finite sums only, an upper bound for the error is given. Numerical simulations show the efficiency of the approximation method.

Shakoor Pooseh, Ricardo Almeida, Delfim F. M. Torres

We obtain a new decomposition of the Riemann-Liouville operators of fractional integration as a series involving derivatives (of integer order). The new formulas are valid for functions of class $C^n$, $n \in \mathbb{N}$, and allow us to develop suitable numerical approximations with known estimations for the error. The usefulness of the obtained results, in solving fractional integral equations and fractional problems of the calculus of variations, is illustrated.