Branched Growth with $\eta \approx 4$ Walkers

Abstract

Diffusion-limited aggregation has a natural generalization to the "$\eta$-models", in which $\eta$ random walkers must arrive at a point on the cluster surface in order for growth to occur. It has recently been proposed that in spatial dimensionality $d=2$, there is an upper critical $\eta_c=4$ above which the fractal dimensionality of the clusters is D=1. I compute the first order correction to $D$ for $\eta <4$, obtaining $D=1+{1/2}(4-\eta)$. The methods used can also determine multifractal dimensions to first order in $4-\eta$.