A Self-Similar Infinite Binary Tree Is a Solution to the Steiner Problem

Abstract

We consider a general metric Steiner problem, which involves finding a set S with the minimal length, such that S∪A is connected, where A is a given compact subset of a given complete metric space X; a solution is called the Steiner tree. Paolini, Stepanov, and Teplitskaya in 2015 provided an example of a planar Steiner tree with an infinite number of branching points connecting an uncountable set of points. We prove that such a set can have a positive Hausdorff dimension, which was an open question (the corresponding tree exhibits self-similar fractal properties).

Keywords

• Steiner tree problem
• self-similar fractal
• infinite binary tree
• explicit solution