Julia sets in the quaternions

Abstract

Recent mathematical work on the dynamics of complex analytic functions has given rise to a new subject matter for computer graphics. The combination of mathematical theory and computer graphics has resulted in new insight into the nature of some of the simplest of mathematical objects. second-degree polynomials. Most of that work has focused on the possibilities within the two-dimensional complex plane. This article shows how these investigations may be extended to higher dimensions, resulting in fractals that naturally reside in the 4-dimensional quaternions. Particular attention is paid to the formula ax2 + b. A method is given for obtaining various interconnection patterns for the Julia sets in 4-space, and the results are displayed in 3-D computer graphics. © 1989.