Apollonian packings as physical fractals

We revisit the scaling properties of growing spheres randomly seeded in d=2,3 and 4 dimensions using a mean-field approach. We model the insertion probability without assuming a priori a functional form for the radius distribution. The functional form of the insertion probability shows an unprecedented agreement with numerical simulations in d=2, 3 and 4 dimensions. We infer from the insertion probability the scaling behavior of the Random Apollonian Packing and its fractal d...

We adapt a recent theory for the random close packing of polydisperse spheres in three dimensions [R. S. Farr and R. D. Groot, J. Chem. Phys. {\bf 131} 244104 (2009)] in order to predict the Hausdorff dimension $d_{A}$ of the Apollonian gasket in dimensions 2 and above. Our approximate results agree with published values in $2$ and $3$ dimensions to within $0.05%$ and $0.6%$ respectively, and we provide predictions for dimensions $4$ to $8$.

The network of contacts in space-filling disk packings, such as the Apollonian packing, are examined. These networks provide an interesting example of spatial scale-free networks, where the topology reflects the broad distribution of disk areas. A wide variety of topological and spatial properties of these systems are characterized. Their potential as models for networks of connected minima on energy landscapes is discussed.

We reveal the fractal nature of patterns arising in random sequential adsorption of particles with continuum power-law size distribution, $P(R)\sim R^{\alpha-1}$, $R \le R_{\rm max}$. We find that the patterns become more and more ordered as $\alpha$ increases, and that the Apollonian packing is obtained at $\alpha \to \infty $ limit. We introduce the entropy production rate as a quantitative criteria of regularity and observe a transition from an irregular regime of the patt...

The fractal properties of models of randomly placed $n$-dimensional spheres ($n$=1,2,3) are studied using standard techniques for calculating fractal dimensions in empirical data (the box counting and Minkowski-sausage techniques). Using analytical and numerical calculations it is shown that in the regime of low volume fraction occupied by the spheres, apparent fractal behavior is observed for a range of scales between physically relevant cut-offs. The width of this range, ty...

We review recent results on the topological properties of two spatial scale-free networks, the inherent structure and Apollonian networks. The similarities between these two types of network suggest an explanation for the scale-free character of the inherent structure networks. Namely, that the energy landscape can be viewed as a fractal packing of basins of attraction.

We consider growing spheres seeded by random injection in time and space. Growth stops when two spheres meet leading eventually to a jammed state. We study the statistics of growth limited by packing theoretically in d dimensions and via simulation in d=2, 3, and 4. We show how a broad class of such models exhibit distributions of sphere radii with a universal exponent. We construct a scaling theory that relates the fractal structure of these models to the decay of their pore...

We present the first systematic algorithm to estimate the maximum packing density of spheres when the grain sizes are drawn from an arbitrary size distribution. With an Apollonian filling rule, we implement our technique for disks in 2d and spheres in 3d. As expected, the densest packing is achieved with power-law size distributions. We also test the method on homogeneous and on empirical real distributions, and we propose a scheme to obtain experimentally accessible distribu...

We develop an algorithm to construct new self-similar space-filling packings of spheres. Each topologically different configuration is characterized by its own fractal dimension. We also find the first bi-cromatic packing known up to now.

Any space-filling packing of spheres can be cut by a plane to obtain a space-filling packing of disks. Here, we deal with space-filling packings generated using inversive geometry leading to exactly self-similar fractal packings. First, we prove that cutting along a random hyperplane leads in general to a packing with a fractal dimension of the one of the uncut packing minus one. Second, we find special cuts which can be constructed themselves by inversive geometry. Such spec...