troducing the Helical Fractal,

Discrete
uper
Fractals.
Versions
and

Saw Vee-Liem, Irwan Ade Putra.

Division of Physics and Applied Physics,
School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences,
Nanyang Technological University.
April 9th, 2009

The innocent sine curve.

The sine curve is a 2-d curve that lives in our 3-d space. Something
that is flat and boring z_Z

What happens if there exists ahelicaliser to turn it into something

like this instead

The helicalised sine curve.

The helicalised sine curve
is a curve that wraps
around the sine curve.
Certainly a more
interesting 3-d
curve.

Now, how about

helicalising the
helicalised sine
curve?

And helicalising that

once more?

Helicalised helicalised helicalised

(No, not typo.)
sine curve.
(No, not typo.)

A close-up view
of the inner
structure of
the curve.

Impressive?
This is the curve winds into
a helix, such that the
resulting helix wraps around
another helix, which finally
curls around the sine curve.

Some other helicalised curves.

hyperbolic
tangent
parabola

ellipse

straight
line

exponential curve

Introducing: The Helicaliser.

The helicaliser is a set of parametric formulae such that it helicalises a

curve.

To say that a curve is helicalised is to mean that the curve would be

described by a new curve that winds around the original curve, like a helix
being directed by the original curve.

Essentially, any curve can be described by its parametric equation, i.e.

Hence, the helicaliser would yield the helicalised curve, just by substituting
the functions x(t), y(t), z(t), x(t), y(t) and z(t) into the helicaliser. Here the
prime symbol denotes the derivative w.r.t. the parameter t.

The Helical Fractal.

An absolutely self-similar fractal, called the Helical Fractal can be

understood in two ways:
- It is like a curve that defines a helix, which defines a larger helix,
which in turn defines yet some other bigger helix,
- Another way to somewhat describe it is that the shape of the curve
is defined by the curve winding around it, whereby that shape of the
winding curve is actually defined by the curve winding about it, whose
shape is

A formal mathematical definition of the helical fractal will be given

later, after its highly-laborious derivation is finally accomplished.

Some very basic differential

geometry.
curve in 3-d space

normal, n(t)

binormal, b(t)

tangent vector, v(t)

The three unit vectors v(t), n(t) and b(t) are

always mutually perpendicular to each other and
the directions depend on the point on the curve.

Natural parametrisation by arc

length.

To even start thinking about helicalising a curve, it is important to

understand the natural parametrisation of a curve. This is key to
obtaining the normal and binormal.

To helicalise is to make the curve wind around in circles. This can be

done by adding the oscillatory terms cos t and sin t to the
normal and binormal.

With these then, it is possible to work out the helicaliser.

A curve can be parametrised by any parameter t. In particular, this

parameter can be chosen to be s, where s is the arc length. This is
known as the natural parametrisation by arc length.

Tangent vector, normal and binormal

through natural parametrisation.

Messy differentions and an elliptic

integral.

The trouble with the helical fractal is that its arc length evaluation requires
solving the elliptic integral of the second kind.
- Certainly not something that is analytically solvable, and also
makes it very clumsy in the attempt to define a general formula.

Another issue is with the many differentiations involved.

- Though differentiations are always possible, applying too many
derivatives invites computational problems because certain
softwares like MATLAB are not smart enough to carry out
symbollic differentiations, or otherwise not efficient.
- Nevertheless, numerical differentiation schemes are of course out
there as a last resort aid. (BUT lets keep things precise!)

A simpler way approach.

Actually, what are needed are not necessarily the normal and the
binormal.

In fact, any perpendicular two vectors sitting in the normal plane will do
the job. Just remember to divide by its length to make it a unit vector.

Given the parametric equations of a curve, a vector tangent to the

curve is simply just the derivative.

A trivial vector that is normal to the tangent vector can easily be

obtained by inspection. The second normal would then be the cross
product.

The way to helicalise.

Then, the oscillatory terms cos(t) and sin(t) can each be added to
the two normal vectors.

The process is not difficult in theory, but the possibility of actually

solving the algebra is questionable, because it involves the invertibility
of a 3x3 matrix and very long-winded expressions.

But the problem is finally solved, tediously. Thus, there lies the
definition of the helical fractal, as the limit of repeated iteration of
the helicaliser formulae.

The full derivation of the helicaliser.

Tangent vectors and two normals.

Relationship between the new basis

with the original ones.

Relationship between the new basis

with the original ones.

The curve in terms of the tangent

vector and the normals.

Addition of oscillatory terms.

Accomplishment.

Formal mathematical definition of

the helical fractal.

The helicaliser just derived is sort of a rule that helicalises a curve

with the input of the parametric function and their derivatives.

By taking the zero-th level of the helical fractal as the straight line,
applying the helicaliser once gives a helix.

Second application helicalises the helix to produce what is called the

slinky.

The repercussion of many repeated applications will then result in the

helical fractal.

Formal mathematical definition of

the helical fractal.
So here is the long-awaited definition:

Presenting: The Helical Fractal.

Level zero:
Straight line.

Level one:
Helix.

Level two:
Slinky.

Helical Fractal: Up close.

It is a reminiscent of
itself at all scales
definition of a fractal.

Elliptic integral of the second kind.

A thorough analysis on this fractal (like its length and dimension), especially
with its mathematical definition in place should be carried out to give a more
in-depth understanding of this fractal.

However as mentioned before, the arc length involves an elliptic integral of the
second kind and thus cannot be analytically solved.

This seems to make the evaluation of its dimension a bit complicated.

It has to be noted that this is an absolutely self-similar fractal.

But what is its self-similar dimension, especially that its now not a simple cube
or whatever, but a beast of coiling monster that is mind-boggling?

Please do not offer the idea of evaluating the Hausdoff dimension. The
equation of the curve is already complicated enough to write out on paper!!

A discrete version,
Introducing:The Circular Fractal.

Now, there exists a different fractal, which somewhat possesses the

same manifestation as the helical fractal.

Instead of defining a curve by coiling around it, the curve can be

described by circles that are normal to it.

Then starting at level one with a circle, the next level would be to remove
this circle, and replace it with smaller circles that defines the circle.

How it defines the original circle is by laying normal to it.

Pictures speak louder than words, though without emitting any sound.
Here goes.

Presenting: The Circular Fractal.

First level:
one circle.

Second level:
=6 circles, A=6.

Note that its self-similar dimension is one.

( copies scaled by a factor A, where =A=6.)
The Circular Fractal is the limit where
more circles smaller by a factor of A
defines the circles of the previous level.
Third level:
=6 circles, A=6.
Of course, the infinite number of circles
get so small such that its infinitesimal size
makes it almost invisible.

Combining together all levels,

Introducing: The Super Circular Fractal.

Well, the Circular Fractal is a fractal. It has a self-similar dimension

of d = ln/ ln A .

But just going just slightly more adventurous as to piece up ALL levels
of the circular fractal, the result is the Super Circular Fractal.

Helical Fractal, Auxiliary Fractal,

Discrete Helical Fractal.

In this case, the circular fractal is called an auxiliary fractal, since it is used
to build up the super circular fractal.

Now, the circular fractal is essential a discrete version of the helical fractal.
Hence it is dubbed as the

DiscreteHelical
HelicalFractal.
Fractal.
Discrete

So here, everything becomes obvious. All these three fractals have a selfsimilar dimension of d = ln/ ln A .

In other words, the dimension of the fractal highly depends on relationship

between the number of new copies as well as the scale factor.

Super Helical Fractal ?

But wait. It seems really natural that the super circular fractal exists.
There is no doubt that each smaller circle is an exact copy of the
larger preceding level.

Have another good look at it.

Indeed!
Introducing: The Super Helical Fractal.

Since the circular fractal is

the discrete helical fractal,
the helical fractal should
itself also be an auxiliary
fractal.

Piecing up all its individual

levels eventually forms the
Super Helical Fractal.

Have a good look at it.

Analysis: Arc length.

Making arc length finite.

The quantity associated with arc

length.

Note that from the original

formula for arc length, it is here
where the power n occurs such
that the natural logarithms are
taken.

Comparison between B and d.

Relationship between B and d.

In a nut shell,

The derivation of the helicaliser makes it possible to give a mathematical

definition of one of the most intuitive curve, the Helical Fractal.

It has a discrete version or a Discrete Helical Fractal, known as the Circular

Fractal.

The Super Circular Fractal is built upon by the convolution of all levels of the
Circular Fractal.

By analogy, the individual levels of the Helical Fractal being put together, forms
the Super Helical Fractal.

These four fractals essentially possess the same manifestations.

An analysis to the arc length of the Super Circular Fractal leads to the quantity
associated with arc length, B which is a finite representation of arc length, and also
somewhat paints a picture of the dimension of the Super Circular Fractal.

The four most beautiful fractals in

this universe
Helical Fractal
Circular Fractal
Circular Fractal

discrete version

individual
individual fractal
fractal

Four
different
fractals
with
the
Four
different
fractals
with
the
same
manifestations
same
manifestations

piecing up individual levels

continuous version

Super Helical Fractal

Super Circular Fractal

Acknowledgements.
Dr. Fedor Duzhin.

Assistant Professor
Andrew James Kricker.

Assistant Professor
Chew Lock Yue.

Reference.

Barrett O'Neill, Elementary Differential Geometry. Published by

Elsevier Academic Press, second edition.