Minimal Peano Curve

E. V. Shchepin ; K. E. Bauman

Trudy Matematicheskogo Instituta imeni V.A. Steklova, Geometry, topology, and mathematical physics. I, Tome 263 (2008), pp. 251-271

Résumé

A Peano curve $p(x)$ with maximum square-to-linear ratio $\frac{|p(x)-p(y)|^2}{|x-y|}$ equal to $5\frac23$ is constructed; this ratio is smaller than that of the classical Peano–Hilbert curve, whose maximum square-to-linear ratio is 6. The curve constructed is of fractal genus 9 (i.e., it is decomposed into nine fragments that are similar to the whole curve) and of diagonal type (i.e., it intersects a square starting from one corner and ending at the opposite corner). It is proved that this curve is a unique (up to isometry) regular diagonal Peano curve of fractal genus 9 whose maximum square-to-linear ratio is less than 6. A theory is developed that allows one to find the maximum square-to-linear ratio of a regular Peano curve on the basis of computer calculations.