Phase

A phase is a representative generation of a periodic object such as an oscillator or spaceship. The number of phases is equal to the period of the object. The phases of an object usually repeat in the same cyclic sequence forever, although some perturbations can cause a phase change.

Phase shift

A phase shift (or phase change) is a perturbation of a periodic object which causes the object to skip ahead by one or more phases. If the perturbation is repeated indefinitely, this can effectively change the period of the object. An example of this phenomenon, found by Dean Hickerson in November 1998, is given by 28P7.1. In that example, the period of the oscillator is normally 7, but with the addition of a nearby mold its period is increased to 8 because of the repeated phase changes caused by the mold's spark.

x = 13, y = 9, rule = B3/S23 2b2o9b$2bo10b$7bo5b$6obo5b$o12b$b2ob2o3b2o2b$2bobo4bobob$2bobo6bob$3bo 7b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 AUTOSTART GPS 10 ]] 28P7.1 alone is a period 7 oscillator (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

x = 15, y = 11, rule = B3/S23 10bo$9bob2o$2b2o9bo$2bo6bo2bobo$7bo3bo2bo$6obo4b2o$o$b2ob2o3b2o$2bobo 4bobo$2bobo6bo$3bo7b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 AUTOSTART GPS 10 ]] When a mold is added it becomes a period 8 oscillator (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

External links

• Phase at the Life Lexicon