Fractal Patterns in Discrete Laplacians: Iterative Construction on 2D Square Lattices

Abstract

We investigate the iterative construction of discrete Laplacians on 2D square lattices, revealing emergent fractal-like patterns shaped by modular arithmetic. While classical 2222-style iterations reproduce known structures such as the Sierpinski triangle, our alternating binary-ternary (2322-style) process produces a novel class of aperiodic figures. These display low density variance, minimal connectivity loss, and non-repetitive organization reminiscent of Dekking's sequences. Fourier and autocorrelation analyses confirm their quasi-periodic nature, suggesting applications in self-assembly, sensor networks, and biological modeling. The findings open new paths toward structured randomness and fractal dynamics in discrete systems. These findings also open avenues for exploring higher-dimensional Laplacian constructions and their implications in quasicrystals, aperiodic tilings, and stochastic processes.

Accepted for publication in Fractals (World Scientific), March 5th 2026. DOI: 10.1142/S0218348X26500714