The current state of fractal billiards

DOI10.1090/CONM/601/11956zbMATH Open1321.37028arXiv1210.0282OpenAlexW1433446725MaRDI QIDQ2949971FDOQ2949971

Michel L. Lapidus, Robert G. Niemeyer

Publication date: 5 October 2015

Published in: Fractal Geometry and Dynamical Systems in Pure and Applied Mathematics II (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: If D is a rational polygon, then the associated rational billiard table is given by Omega(D). Such a billiard table is well understood. If F is a closed fractal curve approximated by a sequence of rational polygons, then the corresponding fractal billiard table is denoted by Omega(F). In this paper, we survey many of the results from [LapNie1-3] for the Koch snowflake fractal billiard Omega(KS) and announce new results on two other fractal billiard tables, namely, the T-fractal billiard table Omega(T) (see [LapNie6]) and a self-similar Sierpinski carpet billiard table Omega(S_a) (see [CheNie]). We build a general framework within which to analyze what we call a sequence of compatible orbits. Properties of particular sequences of compatible orbits are discussed for each prefractal billiard Omega(KS_n), Omega(T_n) and Omega(S_a,n), for n = 0, 1, 2... . In each case, we are able to determine a particular limiting behavior for an appropriately formulated sequence of compatible orbits. Such a limit either constitutes what we call a nontrivial path of a fractal billiard table Omega(F) or else a periodic orbit of Omega(F) with finite period. In our examples, F will be either KS, T or S_a. Several of the results and examples discussed in this paper are presented for the first time. We then close with a brief discussion of open problems and directions for further research in the emerging field of fractal billiards.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1210.0282

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zbMATH Keywords

geodesic flowfractal billiardpolygonal billiardbilliard flowunfolding process

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Length, area, volume, other geometric measure theory (28A75) Fractals (28A80) Periodic orbits of vector fields and flows (37C27) Dynamical systems of geometric origin and hyperbolicity (geodesic and horocycle flows, etc.) (37D40) Geodesic flows in symplectic geometry and contact geometry (53D25) Flows on surfaces (37E35) Geometric limits in holomorphic dynamics (37F40)

Cited In (1)

• Periodic billiard orbits of self-similar Sierpiński carpets

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