Numerical approach for solving fractional relaxation-oscillation equation

In this study, we will obtain the approximate solutions of relaxation-oscillation equation by developing the Taylor matrix method. A relaxation oscillator is a kind of oscillator based on a behavior of physical system's return to equilibrium after being disturbed. The relaxation-oscillation equation is the primary equation of relaxation and oscillation processes. The relaxation-oscillation equation is a fractional differential equation with initial conditions. For this propose, generalized Taylor matrix method is introduced. This method is based on first taking the truncated fractional Taylor expansions of the functions in the relaxation-oscillation equation and then substituting their matrix forms into the equation. Hence, the result matrix equation can be solved and the unknown fractional Taylor coefficients can be found approximately. The reliability and efficiency of the proposed approach are demonstrated in the numerical examples with aid of symbolic algebra program, Maple. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.