Off-lattice noise reduction and the ultimate scaling of diffusion-limited aggregation in two dimensions

Abstract

Off-lattice diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) clusters grown with different levels of noise reduction are found to be consistent with a simple fractal fixed point. Cluster shapes and their ensemble variation exhibit a dominant slowest correction to scaling, and this also accounts for the apparent “multiscaling” in the DLA mass distribution. We interpret the correction to scaling in terms of renormalized noise. The limiting value of this variable is strikingly small and is dominated by fluctuations in cluster shape. Earlier claims of anomalous scaling in DLA were misled by the slow approach to this small fixed point value. © 2002 The American Physical Society.