Fractal Objects in Computer Graphics
Fractal Objects in Computer Graphics
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Costin-Anton Boiangiu
Polytechnic University of Bucharest
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Abstract: This paper presents methods that can be used in generating an entire planet from mathematical
objects, possibly starting from a small random seed. The planet will be generated only from specified
mathematical objects, fractals, procedural models and constructive solid geometry. This planet will include
elements such as vegetation, mountains, water, waves, rocky and sandy soil and clouds.
Key-Words: fractal geometry, fractal generation procedures, water generation, fractal vegetation, random
fractal terrain, fractal-generating software, computer graphics.
1 Introduction symmetric.
Each bump is certainly longer than the initial
segment, but still contains finite space inside. What
1.1 History is strange is that the perimeter moves towards
Unconventional mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot infinity rather than to converge to a special number.
created in 1975 the term fractal from the Latin word Mandelbrot saw this and used this example to
"fractus", which means irregular or fragmented. explore the concept of fractal dimension and to
These irregular and fragmented shapes are all prove that the measuring of the coast is an exercise
around us. Fractals are a visual expression of a of approximation. [3]
repeating pattern or formula that starts simple and
becomes progressively more complex. [1]
One of the first applications of fractals emerged 1.2 Characteristics
long before the term had been created. Lewis Fry The characteristics of fractals were for the first time
Richardson was an early twentieth century English indicated by Alain Boutot: “It has a fine structure
mathematician who studied the length of the coast with details on all scales of observation; It is too
of England. He reasoned that the length of the irregular to be described in the language of
coastline depends on the length of the measuring Euclidean geometry, both locally and globally; It is
instrument. Measuring with a measuring instrument a self-similar structure: is the analogon of the whole;
gives a length, but considering the more irregular It has fractal dimension higher than the topological
coastline by measuring with a smaller apparatus dimension”.
gives a longer length. [2]
If there is a philosophical conclusion to reach,
1.2.1 Self-similarity
there is an infinite coastline containing a finite
space. The same paradox was presented by Helge
von Koch’s snowflake. [3]
1.2.2 Scaling
Because of self-similarity, features at one spatial
resolution are related at other spatial resolutions.
The smaller features are smaller copies of the larger
features. The length at finer resolution will be
longer because these finer features are included.
How the measured properties depend on the Fig. 3 Generator and Initiator (image taken from [19])
resolution used to make the measurement is called
the scaling relationship. [17] The first iteration is realized by replacing every
line of the initiator with the full generator. A
snowflake can be approximated by iterating this
1.2.3 Bounded infinity operation again and again (Fig.4), replacing every
Bounded infinity means that one can trace infinite line of the new initiator with the full generator. To
length within a finite boundary, as demonstrated in generate a real Koch Snowflake is necessary an
the Koch snowflake’s infinite line length infinite process, but in practice, the process ends
circumscribing a finite area. after a finite number of iterations. [19]
In other words, the fractal object can be
represented by using a recursive function:
x, f x , f f x ,... (1)
s d c (2)
Fig. 5 Diagram of a feedback process by N. Mukaia et
, where d is the Hausdorff dimension, c the al. [20]
amount of new copies you get after one iteration and
s is the scaling factor. Using the logarithmic laws,
the formula is: [18] 1.4.1 Generation of fractals using formal
languages
log c These languages, which are used for
d (3)
biomorphological descriptions, are known as L-
log s
systems (Lindenmayer systems). Filamentous
organisms can be formalized and described by From (6) and (7), using decomposition the complex
combining L-systems with branching patterns. mapping into real and imaginary part:
Firstly, L-systems generate strings in a feedback
loop (Fig.5). Then, in order to translate the strings xn 1 f xn , yn
(8)
yn 1 g xn , yn
into morphological description, additional drawing
rules are necessary. This translation is necessary
because the strings do not contain geometric
information. [20] For each point in the complex field it can be
Formal languages are the most suitable for determined how many iterations are needed until a
generating plant-like objects. point escapes to other points of attraction or towards
infinity. For both cases are formulated stopping
criteria and for each mapping, it is possible to count
1.4.2 Generation of fractal objects using Function how many iterations are necessary until one or more
Systems of these criteria are reached. The number iterations
A second approach for generating fractal objects is a is used as an argument for color function. [20]
method based on Iterated Function Systems (IFS).
This method is used for a large class of fractal
objects and it may also be applied for modelling 2 Algorithms
natural objects. The IFS consists of a d-dimensional In this paper will be presented ways for building
space set of mapping into itself (4) and a set of objects like water waves, lands with mountains,
corresponding probabilities (5). [20] clouds, vegetation, soil with sand or rocks and land
textures, generated mathematically. [4]
M M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ,..., M n (4)