Can't exponentiate zero in NumPy

[Rick Muller]

Tim Peters wrote:
> 
> Does this require wrapping in a Numeric array, or does it also happen in
> *any* of these straight Python expressions?:

Turns out it appears to be a more general problem than I thought.

> 
>     1e-310 ** 2

Works on RH linux/1.5.2, overflows on RH linux 2.2

>     pow(1e-310, 2)

Works on linux 1.5.2, overflows on linux 2.2

>     import math
>     math.pow(1e-310, 2)

Works on linux 1.5.2, works on linux 2.2 (??!)
> 
>     1e-310 ** 2.1

Works on linux 1.5.2, fails on linux 2.2

>     pow(1e-310, 2.1)

Works on linux 1.5.2, fails on linux 2.2

>     math.pow(1e-310, 2.1)
> 

Works on linux 1.5.2, works on linux 2.2
> In addition, exactly which version of Python are you using (2.0, 2.1, 2.1.1,
> 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.2, 2.2.1, ...)?

These are the standard python/python2 distributed with RedHat Linux 7.3.

"Works" means returns 0.0
"Fails" means raises an OverflowError

Can someone suggest a decent workaround?

Rick