Lattice models for ballistic aggregation: cluster-shape dependent exponents

TL;DR

This study investigates ballistic aggregation on a 2D lattice with three models differing in aggregate shape, revealing that universality of decay exponents depends on aggregate shape and initial conditions, with fractal dimension close to 1.49.

Contribution

It introduces three lattice-based models for ballistic aggregation with different aggregate shapes and analyzes their decay exponents and universality properties.

Findings

Exponents are universal only for point particles.

Shape influences the dependence of exponents on initial density.

Fractal dimension of aggregates is approximately 1.49.

Abstract

We study ballistic aggregation on a two dimensional square lattice, where particles move ballistically in between momentum and mass conserving coalescing collisions. Three models are studied based on the shapes of the aggregates: in the first the aggregates remain point particles, in the second they retain the fractal shape at the time of collision, and in the third they assume a spherical shape. The exponents describing the power law temporal decay of number of particles and energy as well as dependence of velocity correlations on mass are determined using large scale Monte Carlo simulations. It is shown that the exponents are universal only for the point particle model. In the other two cases, the exponents are dependent on the initial number density and correlations vanish at high number densities. The fractal dimension for the second model is close to 1.49.