Particle aggregation versus cluster aggregation in high dimensions

Abstract

We distinguish two different types of irreversible aggregation-accretion of individual particles and successive aggregation of clusters of comparable size. In aggregation of particles which follow trajectories of fractal dimensionD ₁, we show that physical limits on the aggregation rate impose a lower bound on the fractal dimensionD ₀ of the aggregate. Ind-dimensional space,D ₀{⩾d−D}₁ + 1. Thus aggregation of ballistic particles, withD ₁ = 1, is not fractal. By contrast, cluster aggregates appear to attain a finite, limitingD ₀ in high dimensions. We present a soluble model with this property, and argue that it should agree with Sutherland's binary aggregation model in high dimensions. For this model,D ₀ depends continuously on a parameter; the exponent is not universal.