Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Structure and growth mechanism of mineral dendrites

Nature volume 353, pages 409–412 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

THE surfaces of limestones are often marked by black or red-brown deposits known as mineral dendrites1,2. These are deposits of hydrous iron or manganese oxides formed when supersaturated solutions of iron or manganese penetrate the limestone and are precipitated on exposure to air at the surface. Mineral dendrites have a fractal3 appearance, but the origin and characteristics of this morphology, and its dependence on concentration gradients or reaction rates have been little studied. Here we analyse the shapes and fractal properties of mineral dendrites from several different origins, and propose a lattice reaction–diffusion model for their formation. The model shows how different reaction conditions can account for the variation in fractal dimension observed in real dendrites.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bates, R. L. & Jackson, J. A. (ed.) Glossary of Geology (American Geological Institute, Alexandria, 1987).

  2. Loewinson-Lessing, F. & Macdonald, G. A. Bull. US Geol. Surv. 994, 42–44 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Mandelbrot, B. The Fractal Geometry of Nature (Freeman, San Fransisco, 1982).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  4. Ben-Jacob, E. & Garik, P. Nature 343, 523–530 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Langer, J. S. Science 243, 1150–1155 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Vicsek, T. Fractal Growth Phenomena (World Scientific, Singapore, 1989).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  7. Dee, G. T. Phys. Rev. Lett. 57, 275–278 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Liesegang, R. E. Naturwissenschaften Wochenschr. 11, 353–362 (1896).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Matsushita, M., Sano, M., Hayakawa, Y., Honjo, H. & Sawada, Y. Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 286–289 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Witten, T. A. & Sander, L. M. Phys. Rev. Lett. 47, 1400–1403 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. HLRZ, KFA Jülich, Postfach 1913, 5170, Jülich, Germany

    B. Chopard, H. J. Herrmann & T. Vicsek

Authors
  1. B. Chopard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. J. Herrmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. Vicsek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chopard, B., Herrmann, H. & Vicsek, T. Structure and growth mechanism of mineral dendrites. Nature 353, 409–412 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/353409a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/353409a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing