%0 Journal Article
%T Dendritic design as an archetype for growth patterns in nature: fractal and constructal views
%A Antonio F. Miguel
%J Frontiers in Physics
%D 2014
%I Frontiers Media
%R 10.3389/fphy.2014.00009
%X The occurrence of configuration (design, shape, structure, rhythm) is a universal phenomenon that occurs in every flow system. Dendritic configuration (or tree-shaped configurations) is ubiquitous in nature and likely to arise in both animate and inanimate flow systems (e.g., lungs and river basins). Why is it so important? Is there a principle from which this configuration can be deduced? In this review paper, we show that these systems own two of the most important properties of fractals that are self-similarity and scaling. Their configuration do not develop by chance. It's occurrence is a universal phenomenon of physics covered by a principle. Here we also show that the emergence of dendritic configuration in flow systems constitutes a basic supportive flow path along which ¡°order¡± need to persist is propagated.
%K dendritic network
%K tree-shaped network
%K lungs
%K vascular networks
%K river basins
%K fractal
%K constructal law
%U http://www.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphy.2014.00009/abstract