2010/11/26 by Michel Dekking, Dekking, Michel
Mathematics · #11B85 #28A80 #52C22 #68R15 #Combinatorics (math.CO) #FOS: Mathematics #math.CO #msc:11B85 #msc:28A80 #msc:52C22 #msc:68R15
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1011.5788
32 pages, 23 figures
arxiv created 2011/01/06 · arxiv updated 2011/01/07
An interesting class of automatic sequences emerges from iterated paperfolding. The sequences generate curves in the plane with an almost periodic structure. We generalize the results obtained by Davis and Knuth on the self-avoiding and planefilling properties of these curves, giving simple geometric criteria for a complete classification. Finally, we show how the automatic structure of the sequences leads to self-similarity of the curves, which turns the planefilling curves in a scaling limit into fractal tiles. For some of these tiles we give a particularly simple formula for the Hausdorff dimension of their boundary.