fractal

fractal
    n 1: (mathematics) a geometric pattern that is repeated at every
         scale and so cannot be represented by classical geometry
    

fractal

   <mathematics, graphics> A fractal is a rough or fragmented
   geometric shape that can be subdivided in parts, each of which
   is (at least approximately) a smaller copy of the whole.
   Fractals are generally self-similar (bits look like the whole)
   and independent of scale (they look similar, no matter how
   close you zoom in).

   Many mathematical structures are fractals; e.g. {Sierpinski
   triangle}, {Koch snowflake}, {Peano curve}, {Mandelbrot set}
   and {Lorenz attractor}.  Fractals also describe many
   real-world objects that do not have simple geometric shapes,
   such as clouds, mountains, turbulence, and coastlines.

   {Benoit Mandelbrot}, the discoverer of the {Mandelbrot set},
   coined the term "fractal" in 1975 from the Latin fractus or
   "to break".  He defines a fractal as a set for which the
   {Hausdorff Besicovich dimension} strictly exceeds the
   {topological dimension}.  However, he is not satisfied with
   this definition as it excludes sets one would consider
   fractals.

   sci.fractals FAQ
   (ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/usenet-by-group/sci.fractals/).

   See also {fractal compression}, {fractal dimension}, {Iterated
   Function System}.

   Usenet newsgroups: news:sci.fractals,
   news:alt.binaries.pictures.fractals, news:comp.graphics.

   ["The Fractal Geometry of Nature", Benoit Mandelbrot].

   [Are there non-self-similar fractals?]

   (1997-07-02)