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Zipf’s law, 1/f noise, and fractal hierarchy

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  • Chen, Yanguang

Abstract

Fractals, 1/f noise, and Zipf’s laws are frequently observed within the natural living world as well as in social institutions, representing three signatures of complex systems. All these observations are associated with scaling laws and therefore have created much research interest in many diverse scientific circles. However, the inherent relationships between these scaling phenomena are not yet clear. In this paper, theoretical demonstration and mathematical experiments based on urban studies are employed to reveal the analogy between fractal patterns, 1/f spectra, and the Zipf distribution. First, the multifractal process empirically suggests the Zipf distribution. Second, a 1/f spectrum is mathematically identical to Zipf’s law. Third, both 1/f spectra and Zipf’s law can be converted into a self-similar hierarchy. Fourth, fractals, 1/f spectra, Zipf’s law can be rescaled with similar exponential laws and power laws. The self-similar hierarchy is a more general scaling method which can be used to unify different scaling phenomena and rules in both physical and social systems such as cities, rivers, earthquakes, fractals, 1/f noise, and rank-size distributions. The mathematical laws of this hierarchical structure can provide us with a holistic perspective of looking at complexity and complex systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Yanguang, 2012. "Zipf’s law, 1/f noise, and fractal hierarchy," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 63-73.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chsofr:v:45:y:2012:i:1:p:63-73
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chaos.2011.10.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Song, Zhijun & Jin, Wenxuan & Jiang, Guanghui & Li, Sichun & Ma, Wenqiu, 2021. "Typical and atypical multifractal systems of urban spaces—using construction land in Zhengzhou from 1988 to 2015 as an example," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).

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