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In a book I read about Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative, it says, $$_0D_t^\alpha 1=\frac{t^{-\alpha}}{\Gamma(1-\alpha)},\alpha\geq0,t\geq0$$ which identically vanishes for $\alpha\in\mathbb{N}$, due to the poles of Gamma function.(????)

I have two questions, the first is, why will the equation be applicable for $\alpha\geq0$? Isnt it that gamma function is only defined for positive arguments? Because i was thinking why the restriction is not $0<\alpha<1$.

My second question is what does that phrase "which identically vanishes for $\alpha\in\mathbb{N}$, due to the poles of Gamma function" mean.

Thank you.

2 Answers 2