GROWTH (Divergent)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1484 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
A mode of growth related to the FIBONACCI series, for example in vegetals.
Divergent growth is a radial movement from a center towards periphery. It reflects a logic of space occupancy through the time dimension.
The result is a progressive structural construction through iteration: The time dimension is reflected in helical forms. The growth ratio responds to the so-called generative helix, characterized by a divergence angle, which remains constant during growth.
In most cases, the subjacent rules of growth seem to respond to FIBONACCI series and produce spiraled forms, which probably result from intertwined energy fields, rooted at the physico-chemical level, in accordance with TURING's concept about “The chemical basis of morphogenesis” (1952).
The rate of growth, which is nonlinear, is under two constraints: one corresponds to energy inputs and the other to the limitation of available space. As a result, space occupancy takes place on a space-time curve akin to a geodesic. (In vegetals, converging towards the apex).
In plants, the limited space available for growth is defined by a fraction consisting of two FIBONACCI series: one as numerator, the other as denominator.
Divergent growth, as a mode of space occupancy, could probably be usefully researched in many other disciplines.