Fractional (or non-integer) differentiation is an important concept both from theoretical and applicational points of view. The study of problems of the calculus of variations with fractional derivatives is a rather recent subject, the main result being the fractional necessary optimality condition of Euler-Lagrange obtained in 2002. Here we use the notion of Euler-Lagrange fractional extremal to prove a Noether-type theorem. For that we propose a generalization of the classical concept of conservation law, introducing an appropriate fractional operator.
For nonsmooth Euler-Lagrange extremals, Noether's conservation laws cease to be valid. We show that Emmy Noether's theorem of the calculus of variations is still valid in the wider class of Lipschitz functions, as long as one restrict the Euler-Lagrange extremals to those which satisfy the DuBois-Reymond necessary condition. In the smooth case all Euler-Lagrange extremals are DuBois-Reymond extremals, and the result gives a proper extension of the classical Noether's theorem. This is in contrast with the recent developments of Noether's symmetry theorems to the optimal control setting, which g…
The study of fractional variational problems with derivatives in the sense of Caputo is a recent subject, the main results being Agrawal's necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange and respective transversality conditions. Using Agrawal's Euler-Lagrange equation and the Lagrange multiplier technique, we obtain here a Noether-like theorem for fractional optimal control problems in the sense of Caputo.
We prove a Noether's theorem for fractional variational problems with Riesz-Caputo derivatives. Both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations are obtained. Illustrative examples in the fractional context of the calculus of variations and optimal control are given.
We begin by reporting on some recent results of the authors (Frederico and Torres, 2006), concerning the use of the fractional Euler-Lagrange notion to prove a Noether-like theorem for the problems of the calculus of variations with fractional derivatives. We then obtain, following the Lagrange multiplier technique used in (Agrawal, 2004), a new version of Noether's theorem to fractional optimal control systems.
We study, in a unified way, the following questions related to the properties of Pontryagin extremals for optimal control problems with unrestricted controls: i) How the transformations, which define the equivalence of two problems, transform the extremals? ii) How to obtain quantities which are conserved along any extremal? iii) How to assure that the set of extremals include the minimizers predicted by the existence theory? These questions are connected to: i) the Caratheodory method which establishes a correspondence between the minimizing curves of equivalent problems; ii) the interplay be…
We begin by presenting the classical deterministic problems of the calculus of variations, with emphasis on the necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange and the Noether theorem. As examples of application, we obtain the conservation laws of momentum and energy from mechanics, valid along the Euler-Lagrange extremals. We then introduce the stochastic calculus of variations, proving a recent stochastic Noether-type theorem obtained by Cresson. We end by pointing out an interesting open problem.
Since the seminal work of Emmy Noether it is well know that all conservations laws in physics, \textrm{e.g.}, conservation of energy or conservation of momentum, are directly related to the invariance of the action under a family of transformations. However, the classical Noether's theorem can not yields informations about constants of motion for non-conservative systems since it is not possible to formulate physically meaningful Lagragians for this kind of systems in classical calculus of variation. On the other hand, in recent years the fractional calculus of variation within Lagrangians dep…
We prove a Noether-type symmetry theorem and a DuBois-Reymond necessary optimality condition for nabla problems of the calculus of variations on time scales.
We prove a necessary optimality condition of Euler-Lagrange type for fractional variational problems with derivatives of incommensurate variable order. This allows us to state a version of Noether's theorem without transformation of the independent (time) variable. Considered derivatives of variable order are defined in the sense of Caputo.
The theory of the calculus of variations for fuzzy systems was recently initiated in [7], with the proof of the fuzzy Euler-Lagrange equation. Using fuzzy Euler-Lagrange equation, we obtain here a Noether-like theorem for fuzzy variational problems.
We prove Euler-Lagrange fractional equations and sufficient optimality conditions for problems of the calculus of variations with functionals containing both fractional derivatives and fractional integrals in the sense of Riemann-Liouville.
We prove a DuBois-Reymond necessary optimality condition and a Noether symmetry theorem to the recent quantum variational calculus of Cresson. The results are valid for problems of the calculus of variations with functionals defined on sets of nondifferentiable functions. As an application, we obtain a constant of motion for a linear Schrodinger equation.
We introduce a stochastic fractional calculus. As an application, we present a stochastic fractional calculus of variations, which generalizes the fractional calculus of variations to stochastic processes. A stochastic fractional Euler-Lagrange equation is obtained, extending those available in the literature for the classical, fractional, and stochastic calculus of variations. To illustrate our main theoretical result, we discuss two examples: one derived from quantum mechanics, the second validated by an adequate numerical simulation.
We extend the second Noether theorem to variational problems on time scales. Our result provides as corollaries the classical second Noether theorem, the second Noether theorem for the $h$-calculus and the second Noether theorem for the $q$-calculus.
We introduce a fractional theory of the calculus of variations for multiple integrals. Our approach uses the recent notions of Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives and integrals in the sense of Jumarie. Main results provide fractional versions of the theorems of Green and Gauss, fractional Euler-Lagrange equations, and fractional natural boundary conditions. As an application we discuss the fractional equation of motion of a vibrating string.
In the present work, by taking advantage of a so-called practical limitation of fractional derivatives, namely, the absence of a simple chain and Leibniz's rules, we proposed a generalized fractional calculus of variation where the Lagrangian function depends on fractional derivatives of differentiable functions. The Euler-Lagrange equation we obtained generalizes previously results and enables us to construct simple Lagrangians for nonlinear systems. Furthermore, in our main result, we formulate a Noether-type theorem for these problems that provides us with a means to obtain conservative qua…
This paper presents the Euler-Lagrange equations for fractional variational problems with multiple integrals. The fractional Noether-type theorem for conservative and nonconservative generalized physical systems is proved. Our approach uses well-known notion of the Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative.
We derive Euler-Lagrange type equations for fractional action-like integrals of the calculus of variations which depend on the Riemann-Liouville derivatives of order $(α,β)$, $α> 0$, $β> 0$, recently introduced by J. Cresson and S. Darses. Some interesting consequences are obtained and discussed.
We study incommensurate fractional variational problems in terms of a generalized fractional integral with Lagrangians depending on classical derivatives and generalized fractional integrals and derivatives. We obtain necessary optimality conditions for the basic and isoperimetric problems, transversality conditions for free boundary value problems, and a generalized Noether type theorem.
We prove Noether-type theorems for fractional isoperimetric variational problems with Riemann-Liouville derivatives. Both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations are obtained. Illustrative examples, in the fractional context of the calculus of variations, are discussed.
Fractional Pontryagin's systems emerge in the study of a class of fractional optimal control problems but they are not resolvable in most cases. In this paper, we suggest a numerical approach for these fractional systems. Precisely, we construct a variational integrator allowing to preserve at the discrete level their intrinsic variational structure. The variational integrator obtained is then called shifted discrete fractional Pontryagin's system. We provide a solved fractional example in a certain sense. It allows us to test in this paper the convergence of the variational integrator constru…
In this paper, we study a class of fractional optimal control problems. A necessary condition for the existence of an optimal control is provided in the literature. It is commonly given as the existence of a solution of a fractional Pontryagin's system and the proof is based on the introduction of a Lagrange multiplier. Assuming an additional condition on these problems, we suggest a new presentation of this result with a proof using only classical mathematical tools adapted to the fractional case: calculus of variations, Gronwall's Lemma, Cauchy-Lipschitz Theorem and stability under perturbat…
We present an extension of some results of higher order calculus of variations and optimal control to generalized functions. The framework is the category of generalized smooth functions, which includes Schwartz distributions, while sharing many nonlinear properties with ordinary smooth functions. We prove the higher order Euler-Lagrange equations, the D'Alembert principle in differential form, the du Bois-Reymond optimality condition and the Noether's theorem. We start the theory of optimal control proving a weak form of the Pontryagin maximum principle and the Noether's theorem for optimal c…
We prove a Noether type symmetry theorem to fractional problems of the calculus of variations with classical and Riemann-Liouville derivatives. As result, we obtain constants of motion (in the classical sense) that are valid along the mixed classical/fractional Euler-Lagrange extremals. Both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian versions of the Noether theorem are obtained. Finally, we extend our Noether's theorem to more general problems of optimal control with classical and Riemann-Liouville derivatives.
We show that for any variational symmetry of the problem of the calculus of variations on time scales there exists a conserved quantity along the respective Euler-Lagrange extremals.
Derivatives and integrals of non-integer order were introduced more than three centuries ago, but only recently gained more attention due to their application on nonlocal phenomena. In this context, the Caputo derivatives are the most popular approach to fractional calculus among physicists, since differential equations involving Caputo derivatives require regular boundary conditions. Motivated by several applications in physics and other sciences, the fractional calculus of variations is currently in fast development. However, all current formulations for the fractional variational calculus f…
Recently, the fractional Noether's theorem derived by G. Frederico and D.F.M. Torres in Appl. Math. Comp. 217,3,2010 was proved to be wrong by R.A.C. Ferreira and A.B. Malinowska in JMAA 429, 2, 2015 using a counterexample and doubts are stated about the validity of other Noether's type Theorem, in particular(JMAA 334, 2007,Theorem 32). However, the counterexample does not explain why and where the proof given in Appl. Math. Comp. 217,3,2010 does not work. In this paper, we make a detailed analysis of the proof proposed by G. Frederico and D.F.M. Torres in JMAA 334, 2007 which is based on a fr…
We study problems of the calculus of variations and optimal control within the framework of time scales. Specifically, we obtain Euler-Lagrange type equations for both Lagrangians depending on higher order delta derivatives and isoperimetric problems. We also develop some direct methods to solve certain classes of variational problems via dynamic inequalities. In the last chapter we introduce fractional difference operators and propose a new discrete-time fractional calculus of variations. Corresponding Euler-Lagrange and Legendre necessary optimality conditions are derived and some illustrati…
The fractional calculus of variations is now a subject under strong research. Different definitions for fractional derivatives and integrals are used, depending on the purpose under study. In this paper the fractional operators are defined in the sense of Jumarie. This allows us to work with functions which are non-differentiable. We present necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for fractional problems of the calculus of variations with a Lagrangian density depending on the free end-points.
We consider fractional isoperimetric problems of calculus of variations with double integrals via the recent modified Riemann-Liouville approach. A necessary optimality condition of Euler-Lagrange type, in the form of a multitime fractional PDE, is proved, as well as a sufficient condition and fractional natural boundary conditions.
We give a proper fractional extension of the classical calculus of variations by considering variational functionals with a Lagrangian depending on a combined Caputo fractional derivative and the classical derivative. Euler-Lagrange equations to the basic and isoperimetric problems are proved, as well as transversality conditions.
Problems of calculus of variations with variable endpoints cannot be solved without transversality conditions. Here, we establish such type of conditions for fractional variational problems with the Caputo derivative. We consider: the Bolza-type fractional variational problem, the fractional variational problem with a Lagrangian that may also depend on the unspecified end-point $φ(b)$, where $x=φ(t)$ is a given curve, and the infinite horizon fractional variational problem.
We review the recent generalized fractional calculus of variations. We consider variational problems containing generalized fractional integrals and derivatives and study them using indirect methods. In particular, we provide necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type for the fundamental and isoperimetric problems, natural boundary conditions, and Noether type theorems.
In this work we look at the original fractional calculus of variations problem in a somewhat different way. As a simple consequence, we show that a fractional generalization of a classical problem has a solution without any restrictions on the derivative-order $α$.
This book intends to deepen the study of the fractional calculus, giving special emphasis to variable-order operators. It is organized in two parts, as follows. In the first part, we review the basic concepts of fractional calculus (Chapter 1) and of the fractional calculus of variations (Chapter 2). In Chapter 1, we start with a brief overview about fractional calculus and an introduction to the theory of some special functions in fractional calculus. Then, we recall several fractional operators (integrals and derivatives) definitions and some properties of the considered fractional derivativ…
We prove Euler-Lagrange and natural boundary necessary optimality conditions for fractional problems of the calculus of variations which are given by a composition of functionals. Our approach uses the recent notions of Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives and integrals in the sense of Jumarie. As an application, we get optimality conditions for the product and the quotient of fractional variational functionals.
In this paper we study isoperimetric problems of the calculus of variations with left and right Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives. Both situations when the lower bound of the variational integrals coincide and do not coincide with the lower bound of the fractional derivatives are considered.
We prove necessary optimality conditions, in the class of continuous functions, for variational problems defined with Jumarie's modified Riemann-Liouville derivative. The fractional basic problem of the calculus of variations with free boundary conditions is considered, as well as problems with isoperimetric and holonomic constraints.
We give a proper fractional extension of the classical calculus of variations. Necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type for variational problems containing both classical and fractional derivatives are proved. The fundamental problem of the calculus of variations with mixed integer and fractional order derivatives as well as isoperimetric problems are considered.
What is the most efficient search strategy for the random located target sites subject to the physical and biological constraints? Previous results suggested the Lévy flight is the best option to characterize this optimal problem, however, which ignores the understanding and learning abilities of the searcher agents. In the paper we propose the Continuous Time Random Walk (CTRW) optimal search framework and find the optimum for both of search length's and waiting time's distributions. Based on fractional calculus technique, we further derive its master equation to show the mechanism of such co…
We study fractional variational problems in terms of a generalized fractional integral with Lagrangians depending on classical derivatives, generalized fractional integrals and derivatives. We obtain necessary optimality conditions for the basic and isoperimetric problems, as well as natural boundary conditions for free boundary value problems. The fractional action-like variational approach (FALVA) is extended and some applications to Physics discussed.
We study operators that are generalizations of the classical Riemann-Liouville fractional integral, and of the Riemann-Liouville and Caputo fractional derivatives. A useful formula relating the generalized fractional derivatives is proved, as well as three relations of fractional integration by parts that change the parameter set of the given operator into its dual. Such results are explored in the context of dynamic optimization, by considering problems of the calculus of variations with general fractional operators. Necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type and natural boundary …
Fractional operators play an important role in modeling nonlocal phenomena and problems involving coarse-grained and fractal spaces. The fractional calculus of variations with functionals depending on derivatives and/or integrals of noninteger order is a rather recent subject that is currently in fast development due to its applications in physics and other sciences. In the last decade, several approaches to fractional variational calculus were proposed by using different notions of fractional derivatives and integrals. Although the literature of the fractional calculus of variations is alread…
We introduce a discrete-time fractional calculus of variations. First and second order necessary optimality conditions are established. Examples illustrating the use of the new Euler-Lagrange and Legendre type conditions are given. They show that the solutions of the fractional problems coincide with the solutions of the corresponding non-fractional variational problems when the order of the discrete derivatives is an integer value.
Motivated by gradient methods in optimization theory, we give methods based on $ψ$-fractional derivatives of order $α$ in order to solve unconstrained optimization problems. The convergence of these methods is analyzed in detail. This paper also presents an Adams-Bashforth-Moulton (ABM) method for the estimation of solutions to equations involving $ψ$-fractional derivatives. Numerical examples using the ABM method show that the fractional order $α$ and weight $ψ$ are tunable parameters, which can be helpful for improving the performance of gradient descent methods.
We study the fundamental problem of the calculus of variations with variable order fractional operators. Fractional integrals are considered in the sense of Riemann-Liouville while derivatives are of Caputo type.
We introduce a discrete-time fractional calculus of variations on the time scales $\mathbb{Z}$ and $(h\mathbb{Z})_a$. First and second order necessary optimality conditions are established. Some numerical examples illustrating the use of the new Euler-Lagrange and Legendre type conditions are given. We also give new definitions of fractional derivatives and integrals on time scales via the inverse generalized Laplace transform.
In this PhD thesis we introduce a generalized fractional calculus of variations. We consider variational problems containing generalized fractional integrals and derivatives, and study them using standard (indirect) and direct methods. In particular, we obtain necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type for the fundamental and isoperimetric problems, natural boundary conditions, and Noether theorems. Existence of solutions is shown under Tonelli type conditions. Moreover, we apply our results to prove existence of eigenvalues, and corresponding orthogonal eigenfunctions, to fraction…
The study of fractional variational problems in terms of a combined fractional Caputo derivative is introduced. Necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type for the basic, isoperimetric, and Lagrange variational problems are proved, as well as transversality and sufficient optimality conditions. This allows to obtain necessary and sufficient Pareto optimality conditions for multiobjective fractional variational problems.
Main results and techniques of the fractional calculus of variations are surveyed. We consider variational problems containing Caputo derivatives and study them using both indirect and direct methods. In particular, we provide necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type for the fundamental, higher-order, and isoperimetric problems, and compute approximated solutions based on truncated Grünwald--Letnikov approximations of Caputo derivatives.
We introduce new fractional operators of variable order on isolated time scales with Mittag-Leffler kernels. This allows a general formulation of a class of fractional variational problems involving variable-order difference operators. Main results give fractional integration by parts formulas and necessary optimality conditions of Euler-Lagrange type.
We extend the DuBois-Reymond necessary optimality condition and Noether's symmetry theorem to the time delay variational setting. Both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian versions of Noether's theorem are proved, covering problems of the calculus of variations and optimal control with delays.
