Physics of Fractal Operators

1 Non-differentiable processes.- 1.1 Classical mechanics.- 1.2 Langevin equation.- 1.3 Comments on the physics of the fractional calculus.- 1.4 Commentary.- 2 Failure of traditional models.- 2.1 Fractals; geometric and otherwise.- 2.2 Generalized Weierstrass function.- 2.3 Fractional operators.- 2.4 Intervals of the generalized Weierstrass function.- 2.5 Commentary.- 3 Fractional dynamics.- 3.1 Elementary properties of fractional derivatives.- 3.2 The generalized exponential functions.- 3.3 Parametric derivatives.- 3.4 Commentary.- 4 Fractional Fourier transforms.- 4.1 A brief review of Fourier analysis.- 4.2 Linear fields.- 4.3 Fourier transforms in the fractional calculus.- 4.4 Generalized Fourier transform.- 4.5 Commentary.- 5 Fractional Laplace transforms.- 5.1 Solving differential equations.- 5.2 Generalized exponentials.- 5.3 Fractional Green's functions.- 5.4 Commentary.- 6 Fractional randomness.- 6.1 Ordinary random walk.- 6.2 Continuous-time random walk.- 6.3 Fractional random walks.- 6.4 Fractal stochastic time series.- 6.5 Evolution of probability densities.- 6.6 Langevin equation with Lévy statistics.- 6.7 Commentary.- 7 Fractional Rheology.- 7.1 History and definitions.- 7.2 Fractional relaxation.- 7.3 Path integrals.- 7.4 Commentary.- 8 Fractional stochastics.- 8.1 Fractional stochastic equations.- 8.2 Memory kernels.- 8.3 The continuous master equation.- 8.4 Back to Langevin.- 9 The ant in the gurge metaphor.- 9.1 Lévy statistics and renormalization.:.- 9.2 An ad hoc derivation.- 9.3 Fractional eigenvalue equation.- 9.4 Fractional stochastic oscillator.- 9.5 Fractional propagation-transport equation.- 9.6 Commentary.- 10 Appendix.- 10.1 Special functions.- 10.2 Fractional derivatives.- 10.3 Mellin transforms.

From the reviews:

"Have you ever wondered about whether one can define differential derivative of non integer order and how useful these fractal derivatives would be? If the answer is yes this is the book to look at. The book is written by physicists with a pragmatic audience in mind. It contains a very thorough and clearly written discussion of the mathematical foundation as well as the applications to important and interesting mathematical and physical problems. All the topics are very main stream and of great general relevance...

"I am glad I got to know this book. I don't know yet whether fractal calculus will be of crucial importance to my own research in statistical mechanics and complex systems. But I got the feeling from this book that this might very well be the case. And if this happens, I now know exactly where to go for a highly readable and thorough introduction to the field. I think the book deserves to be present in mathematics and physics libraries. And I believe many interesting undergraduate and graduate projects in mathematics and its applications can start out from this book."

- UK Nonlinear News

"The book is written by physicists with a pragmatic audience in mind. It contains a very thorough and clearly written discussion of the mathematical foundation as well as the applications to important and interesting mathematical and physical problems. All the topics are very mainstream and of great general relevance. ... Obviously, the book is also of great relevance to the researcher who may need to become acquainted with Fractal Calculus ... . I am glad I got to know this book." (Henrik Jensen, UK Nonlinear News, February, 2004)

"Physics of Fractal Operators ... is a timely introduction that discusses the basics of fractional calculus. ... Physics of Fractal Operators, which actively promotes the use of fractional calculus in physics, may help teachers develop an appropriate curriculum. ... the