What name should we call pattern like this?

[David]

I've never seen any pattern like this. It has appeared in the catalogue, in quite weird rule.
This pattern evolves from this soup:

Code: Select all

x = 16, y = 16, rule = B36/S245
bo3b3o3b5o$3bobo2b2o4bo$b3ob2o2bo5bo$obobob5o4bo$2o2bo2b4o3b2o$3bob2ob
2ob3o$b2o4b3obobobo$bob2o2bo2b3o2bo$3b3ob2o6bo$bo4b2o3bob3o$4bo3b3obob
2o$2o2bo5b5o$o3b3ob3o3b2o$5bob3obo$ob2obo2b2o3bobo$b2ob5o2bo!

What category should this pattern be categorized into? It infinitely grows to left direction, has stationary period 1200, and grows at linear rate.
It is not a gun, because it dosen't spit any spaceship,
It is not a puffer or a growing spaceship, because it doesn't have any engine,
It is not a wickstretcher or a waveguide, because it doesn't extend wick,
It is not a sawtooth, because its population tends to infinity,
Finally, It is not a replicator, because it doesn't replicate itself.

So it should be categorized into a new category. I suggest "Growing shuttle" as a suitable name, any objections?

[Sokwe]

This would still be considered a puffer. It's a periodic moving pattern that leaves stationary debris. I would say that this puffer is composed of two engines which are not stable on their own, but can be put together to form puffers and spaceships, much like the switch engine in Life. This particular engine has been studied for its interesting behavior; Dave Eppstein wrote a short article on it here.