Oscillator: Difference between revisions
m removed "stable" |
added tables and new section |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
In general [[cellular automaton]] theory the term oscillator usually covers [[spaceship]]s as well, but this usage is not normal in [[Conway's Game of Life]]. | In general [[cellular automaton]] theory the term oscillator usually covers [[spaceship]]s as well, but this usage is not normal in [[Conway's Game of Life]]. | ||
==Important oscillators by period== | |||
A list of the first-discovered oscillator of each period, as well the current smallest-known oscillator of that period, is provided here. Note that only [[true period]] oscillators are considered here. In some cases, it is not known for certain what the first-discovered oscillator of a given period is, in which situation a question mark (?) is presented along with the oscillator that has the earliest known date of discovery. | |||
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td align="center" width="50%"> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! Period | |||
! First discovered | |||
! Discoverer | |||
! Year of discovery | |||
|- | |||
! [[:Category:Oscillators with period 2|2]] | |||
| [[Blinker]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found by John Conway|John Conway]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found in 1970|1970]] | |||
|- | |||
! [[:Category:Oscillators with period 3|3]] | |||
| [[Pulsar]] | |||
| John Conway | |||
| ''Unknown'' | |||
|- | |||
! [[:Category:Oscillators with period 4|4]] | |||
| (?) [[Gray counter]] | |||
| ''Unknown'' | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found in 1971|1971]] | |||
|- | |||
! [[:Category:Oscillators with period 5|5]] | |||
| [[Octagon 2]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found by Sol Goodman|Sol Goodman]], [[:Category:Patterns found by Arthur Taber|Arthur Taber]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found in 1971|1971]] | |||
|- | |||
! [[:Category:Oscillators with period 6|6]] | |||
| (?) [[$rats]], [[Sombreros]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found by David Buckingham|David Buckingham]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns found in 1972|1972]] | |||
|}</td><td align="center" width="50%"> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! Period | |||
! Smallest known | |||
! Minimum # of [[cell]]s | |||
|- | |||
! 2 | |||
| Blinker | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns with 3 cells|3]] | |||
|- | |||
! 3 | |||
| [[Caterer]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns with 12 cells|12]] | |||
|- | |||
! 4 | |||
| [[Mazing]], [[Mold]] | |||
| 12 | |||
|- | |||
! 5 | |||
| [[Pseudo-barberpole]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns with 15 cells|15]] | |||
|- | |||
! 6 | |||
| [[Unix]] | |||
| [[:Category:Patterns with 16 cells|16]] | |||
|} | |||
</td></tr></table> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 8: | Line 72: | ||
*[[:Category:Oscillators|List of oscillators]] | *[[:Category:Oscillators|List of oscillators]] | ||
*[[Omniperiodic]] | *[[Omniperiodic]] | ||
==External links== | |||
*[http://www.argentum.freeserve.co.uk/lex_o.htm#oscillator Oscillator] at the Life Lexicon | |||
Revision as of 12:01, 3 April 2009
An oscillator is a pattern that is a predecessor of itself. That is, it is a pattern that repeats itself after a fixed number of generations (known as its period). The term is usually restricted to finite patterns that are not still lifes, though still lifes may be thought of as oscillators with period 1. An oscillator is divided into a rotor and a stator.
In general cellular automaton theory the term oscillator usually covers spaceships as well, but this usage is not normal in Conway's Game of Life.
Important oscillators by period
A list of the first-discovered oscillator of each period, as well the current smallest-known oscillator of that period, is provided here. Note that only true period oscillators are considered here. In some cases, it is not known for certain what the first-discovered oscillator of a given period is, in which situation a question mark (?) is presented along with the oscillator that has the earliest known date of discovery.
|
|
See also
External links
- Oscillator at the Life Lexicon