Table of Contents

Introduction

This plugin draws 3D Mandelbrot fractals stacks.

Author

Amaury CHABOD

a_chabod@yahoo.fr

Description

2D Mandelbrot sets are (x+iy) points of plane where the iteration Zp+1=Zp2+(x+iy) converges.

In the case of 3D, Daniel White uses the idea to create a pseudo-product using spherical coordinates:

<x,y,z>n = rn <cos(nθ)cos(nφ),sin(nθ)cos(nφ),sin(nφ)>

r=√(x²+y²+z²) θ=atan(y/x) φ=asin(z/r)

The iteration [ Zp+1=Zpn + <x,y,z> ] converges inside a 3D fractal area.

Paul Nylander makes experiments with exponants higher than 2. The best result is obtained with exponant 8 and is named

“Mandelbulbe”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelbrot_set

Installation

The Mandel_3D plugin contains two java class files.

3D rendering is assumed using VolumeJ IMAGEJ plugin:

http://webscreen.ophth.uiowa.edu/bij/vr.htm

Download

mandel_3d.class mandel_3d.java bulbe.class bulbe.java

Examples

This is an example of a 500X500X500 stack, with an 8-exponent and 25 iterations. 3D Rendering is the following: