This book focuses on Erdelyi-Kober fractional calculus from a statistical perspective inspired by solar neutrino physics. Results of diffusion entropy analysis and standard deviation analysis of data from the Super-Kamiokande solar neutrino experiment lead to the development of anomalous diffusion and reaction in terms of fractional calculus. The new statistical perspective of Erdelyi-Kober fractional operators outlined in this book will have fundamental applications in the theory of anomalous reaction and diffusion processes dealt with in physics. A major mathematical objective of this book is specifically to examine a new definition for fractional integrals in terms of the distributions of products and ratios of statistically independently distributed positive scalar random variables or in terms of Mellin convolutions of products and ratios in the case of real scalar variables. The idea will be generalized to cover multivariable cases as well as matrix variable cases. In the matrix variable case, M-convolutions of products and ratios will be used to extend the ideas. We then give a definition for the case of real-valued scalar functions of several matrices.

TheH-function or popularly known in the literature as Fox'sH-function has recently found applications in a large variety of problems connected with reaction, diffusion, reaction-diffusion, engineering and communication, fractional differ- tial and integral equations, many areas of theoretical physics, statistical distribution theory, etc. One of the standard books and most cited book on the topic is the 1978 book of Mathai and Saxena. Since then, the subject has grown a lot, mainly in the elds of applications. Due to popular demand, the authors were requested to - grade and bring out a revised edition of the 1978 book. It was decided to bring out a new book, mostly dealing with recent applications in statistical distributions, pa- way models, nonextensive statistical mechanics, astrophysics problems, fractional calculus, etc. and to make use of the expertise of Hans J. Haubold in astrophysics area also. It was decided to con ne the discussion toH-function of one scalar variable only. Matrix variable cases and many variable cases are not discussed in detail, but an insight into these areas is given. When going from one variable to many variables, there is nothing called a unique bivariate or multivariate analogue of a givenfunction. Whatever be the criteria used, there may be manydifferentfunctions quali ed to be bivariate or multivariate analogues of a given univariate function. Some of the bivariate and multivariateH-functions, currently in the literature, are also questioned by many authors.

This book represents Volume II of the Proceedings of the UN/ESA/NASA Workshop on the International Heliophysical Year 2007 and Basic Space Science, hosted by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo, 18 - 22 June, 2007. It covers two programme topics explored in this and past workshops of this nature: (i) non-extensive statistical mechanics as applicable to astrophysics, addressing q-distribution, fractional reaction and diffusion, and the reaction coefficient, as well as the Mittag-Leffler function and (ii) the TRIPOD concept, developed for astronomical telescope facilities. The companion publication, Volume I of the proceedings of this workshop, is a special issue in the journal Earth, Moon, and Planets, Volume 104, Numbers 1-4, April 2009.

Chapter 1 introduces elementary classical special functions. Gamma, beta, psi, zeta functions, hypergeometric functions and the associated special functions, generalizations to Meijer's G and Fox's H-functions are examined here. Discussion is confined to basic properties and selected applications. Introduction to statistical distribution theory is provided. Some recent extensions of Dirichlet integrals and Dirichlet densities are discussed. A glimpse into multivariable special functions such as Appell's functions and Lauricella functions is part of Chapter 1. Special functions as solutions of differential equations are examined. Chapter 2 is devoted to fractional calculus. Fractional integrals and fractional derivatives are discussed. Their applications to reaction-diffusion problems in physics, input-output analysis, and Mittag-Leffler stochastic processes are developed. Chapter 3 deals with q-hyper-geometric or basic hypergeometric functions. Chapter 4 covers basic hypergeometric functions and Ramanujan's work on elliptic and theta functions. Chapter 5 examines the topic of special functions and Lie groups. Chapters 6 to 9 are devoted to applications of special functions. Applications to stochastic processes, geometric infinite divisibility of random variables, Mittag-Leffler processes, alpha-Laplace processes, density estimation, order statistics and astrophysics problems, are dealt with in Chapters 6 to 9. Chapter 10 is devoted to wavelet analysis. An introduction to wavelet analysis is given. Chapter 11 deals with the Jacobians of matrix transformations. Various types of matrix transformations and the associated Jacobians are provided. Chapter 12 is devoted to the discussion of functions of matrix argument in the real case. Functions of matrix argument and the pathway models along with their applications are discussed.

This book represents Volume II of the Proceedings of the UN/ESA/NASA Workshop on the International Heliophysical Year 2007 and Basic Space Science, hosted by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo, 18 - 22 June, 2007. It covers two programme topics explored in this and past workshops of this nature: (i) non-extensive statistical mechanics as applicable to astrophysics, addressing q-distribution, fractional reaction and diffusion, and the reaction coefficient, as well as the Mittag-Leffler function and (ii) the TRIPOD concept, developed for astronomical telescope facilities.

The companion publication, Volume I of the proceedings of this workshop, is a special issue in the journal Earth, Moon, and Planets, Volume 104, Numbers 1-4, April 2009.

Chapter 1 introduces elementary classical special functions. Gamma, beta, psi, zeta functions, hypergeometric functions and the associated special functions, generalizations to Meijer's G and Fox's H-functions are examined here. Discussion is confined to basic properties and selected applications. Introduction to statistical distribution theory is provided. Some recent extensions of Dirichlet integrals and Dirichlet densities are discussed. A glimpse into multivariable special functions such as Appell's functions and Lauricella functions is part of Chapter 1. Special functions as solutions of differential equations are examined. Chapter 2 is devoted to fractional calculus. Fractional integrals and fractional derivatives are discussed. Their applications to reaction-diffusion problems in physics, input-output analysis, and Mittag-Leffler stochastic processes are developed. Chapter 3 deals with q-hyper-geometric or basic hypergeometric functions. Chapter 4 covers basic hypergeometric functions and Ramanujan's work on elliptic and theta functions. Chapter 5 examines the topic of special functions and Lie groups. Chapters 6 to 9 are devoted to applications of special functions. Applications to stochastic processes, geometric infinite divisibility of random variables, Mittag-Leffler processes, alpha-Laplace processes, density estimation, order statistics and astrophysics problems, are dealt with in Chapters 6 to 9. Chapter 10 is devoted to wavelet analysis. An introduction to wavelet analysis is given. Chapter 11 deals with the Jacobians of matrix transformations. Various types of matrix transformations and the associated Jacobians are provided. Chapter 12 is devoted to the discussion offunctions of matrix argument in the real case. Functions of matrix argument and the pathway models along with their applications are discussed.

TheH-function or popularly known in the literature as Fox'sH-function has recently found applications in a large variety of problems connected with reaction, diffusion, reaction-diffusion, engineering and communication, fractional differ- tial and integral equations, many areas of theoretical physics, statistical distribution theory, etc. One of the standard books and most cited book on the topic is the 1978 book of Mathai and Saxena. Since then, the subject has grown a lot, mainly in the elds of applications. Due to popular demand, the authors were requested to - grade and bring out a revised edition of the 1978 book. It was decided to bring out a new book, mostly dealing with recent applications in statistical distributions, pa- way models, nonextensive statistical mechanics, astrophysics problems, fractional calculus, etc. and to make use of the expertise of Hans J. Haubold in astrophysics area also. It was decided to con ne the discussion toH-function of one scalar variable only. Matrix variable cases and many variable cases are not discussed in detail, but an insight into these areas is given. When going from one variable to many variables, there is nothing called a unique bivariate or multivariate analogue of a givenfunction. Whatever be the criteria used, there may be manydifferentfunctions quali ed to be bivariate or multivariate analogues of a given univariate function. Some of the bivariate and multivariateH-functions, currently in the literature, are also questioned by many authors.

This is a modified version of Module 10 of the Centre for Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (CMSS). CMSS modules are notes prepared on various topics with many examples from real-life situations and exercises so that the subject matter becomes interesting to students. These modules are used for undergraduate level courses and graduate level training in various topics at CMSS. Aside from Module 8, these modules were developed by Dr. A. M. Mathai, Director of CMSS and Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Canada. Module 8 is based on the lecture notes of Professor W. J. Anderson of McGill University, developed for his undergraduate course (Mathematics 447). Professor Dr. Hans J. Haubold has been a research collaborator of Dr. A.M. Mathais since 1984, mainly in the areas of astrophysics, special functions and statistical distribution theory. He is also a lifetime member of CMSS and a Professor at CMSS. A large number of papers have been published jointly in these areas since 1984. The following monographs and books have been brought out in conjunction with this joint research: Modern Problems in Nuclear and Neutrino Astrophysics (A.M. Mathai and H.J. Haubold, 1988, Akademie-Verlag, Berlin); Special Functions for Applied Scientists (A.M.Mathai and H.J. Haubold, 2008, Springer, New York); and The H-Function: Theory and Applications (A.M.Mathai, R.K. Saxena and H.J. Haubold, 2010, Springer, New York). These CMSS modules are printed at CMSS Press and published by CMSS. Copies are made available to students free of charge, and to researchers and others at production cost. For the preparation of the initial drafts of all these modules, financial assistance was made available from the Department of Science and Technology, the Government of India (DST), New Delhi under project number SR/S4/MS:287/05. Hence, the authors would like to express their thanks and gratitude to DST, the Government of India, for its financial assistance.