lets make a fair fortran test... raise a complex typed number 1 to the power:
write(*,*)(-1.d0,0.d0)**2.,(-1.d0,0.d0)**2
(1.00000000000,-2.449212707...E-16 ) , ( 1.0000000000,0.000000000 )
also note in fortran the real power can notnot yield a complex result, that is (-1.)**.5
throws an error or yields NaN
depending on the compiler so you see (-1.)**2.
works only because (/if) the compiler is smart enough to recognize that 2.
should be treated as an integer.
**the first test was with the gfortran compiler, intel fortran gives the expected
( 1.0000000000,0.000000000 ) , ( 1.0000000000,0.000000000 )