random design

What is a fractal???
the word "chaos" is sometimes taken to mean the opposite of "cosmos", in that the latter term has connotations of "order". until the last few decades, chaotic systems have not been studied nearly as much as ordered systems, perhaps because chaotic systems are far more difficult to understand...

graphical representation of fractals:

graphically, fractals are images created out of the process of a mathematical exploration of the space in which they are plotted. for this page, a computer screen will represent the space which is being explored. each point in the area is tested in some way, usually an equation iterating for a given period of time. the equations used to test each point in the testing region are often extremely simple. each particular point in the testing region is used as a starting point to test a given equation in a finite period of time. if the equation escapes, or becomes very large, within the period of time, it is coloured white. if doesn't escape, or stays within a given range through out the time period, it is coloured black. hence, a fractal image is a graphical representation of the points, which diverge, or go out of control, and the points, which converge, or stay inside the set. to make fractal images more elaborate and interesting, colour is added to them. rather than simply plotting a white point if it escapes, the point is assigned a colour relative to how quickly it escaped. the images produced are very elaborate and possess non-euclidean geometry. fractals can also be produced by following a set of instructions such as remove the centre third of a line segment.

the mandelbrot set:

named after benoit mandelbrot, the mandelbrot set is one of the most famous fractals in existence. it was born when mandelbrot was playing with the simple quadratic equation z=z2+c. in this equation, both z and c are complex numbers. in other words, the mandelbrot set is the set of all complex c such that iterating z=z2+c does not diverge. to generate the mandlebrot set graphically, the computer screen becomes the complex plane. each point on the plain is tested into the equation z=z2+c. if the iterated z stayed within a given boundary forever, convergence, the point is inside the set and the point is plotted black. if the iteration went of control, divergence, the point was plotted in a colour with respect to how quickly it escaped. for the most part, when the word fractal is mentioned, you immediately think of the stunning pictures you have seen that were called fractals. but just what exactly is a fractal? basically, it is a rough geometric figure that has two properties: first, most magnified images of fractals are essentially indistinguishable from the unmagnified version. this property of invariance under a change of scale if called self-similarity. second, fractals have fractal dimensions. the word fractal was invented by benoit mandelbrot, "i coined fractal from the latin adjective fractus. the corresponding latin verb frangere means to break to create irregular fragments. it is therefore sensible and how appropriate for our needs! - that, in addition to fragmented, fractus should also mean irregular, both meanings being preserved in fragment." fractals have and are being used in many different ways. both artist and scientist are intrigued by the many values of fractals. fractals are being used in applications ranging form image compression to finance. we are still only beginning to realise the full importance and usefulness of fractal geometry. one of the largest relationships with real-life is the similarity between fractals and objects in nature. the resemblance

many fractals and their natural counter-parts are so large that it cannot be overlooked. mathematical formulas are used to model self similar natural forms. the pattern is repeated at a large scale and patterns evolve to mimic large scale real world objects. one of the most useful applications of fractals and fractal geometry in image compression. it is also one of the more controversial ideas. the basic concept behind fractal image compression is to take an image and express it as an iterated system of functions. the image can be quickly displayed, and at any magnification with infinite levels of fractal detail. the largest problem behind this idea is deriving the system of functions which describe an image. one of the more trivial applications of fractals is their visual effect. not only do fractals have a stunning aesthetic value, that is, they are remarkably pleasing to the eye, but they also have a way to trick the mind. fractals have been used commercially in the film industry, in films such as star wars and star trek. fractal images are used as an alternative to costly elaborate sets to produce fantasy landscapes. another seemingly unrelated application of fractals and chaos is in music. some music, including that of back and mozart, can be stripped down so that is contains as little as 1/64th of its notes and still retain the essence of the composer. many new software applications are and have been developed which contain chaotic filters, similar to those which change the speed, or the pitch of music. fractal geometry also has an application to biological analysis. fractal and chaos phenomena specific to non-linear systems are widely observed in biological systems. a study has established an analytical method based on fractals and chaos theory for two patterns: the dendrite pattern of cells during development in the cerebellum and the firing pattern of intercellular potential. variation in the development of the dendrite stage was evaluated with a fractal dimension. the order in many ion channels generating the firing pattern was also evaluated with a fractal dimension, enabling the high order seen there to be quantised.