Fractional Euler-Lagrange Equations for Constrained Systems

Abstract

The fractional calculus is the name for the theory of integrals and derivatives of arbitrary order, which generalize the notions of n-fold integration and integer-order differentiation. Differential equations of fractional order appear in certain applied problems and in theoretical researches. In this paper, the Euler-Lagrange equations of the Lagrangians linear in velocities were derived using the fractional calculus. Two examples of constrained systems possessing a gauge invariance are investigated in details, the explicit solutions of Euler-Lagrange equations are obtained, and the recovery of the classical results is discussed.