Oscillator: Difference between revisions
→Important oscillators by period: Removed David Buckingham as discoverer of p60 glider shuttle. The shuttle is first mentioned in Gardner's Feb 1971 column with no mention of Buckingham, and I can't find another source for its discoverer. |
Added Herschel loops as first discovered oscillator where appropriate |
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| Line 426: | Line 426: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|62|brief}} | ! {{period|62|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[66P62]] | | [[66P62]] | ||
| {{cells|66}} | | {{cells|66}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|63|brief}} | ! {{period|63|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[meatball on p9 thumb]] | | [[meatball on p9 thumb]] | ||
| {{cells|74}} | | {{cells|74}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|64|brief}} | ! {{period|64|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Merzenich's p64]] | | [[Merzenich's p64]] | ||
| {{cells|34}} | | {{cells|34}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|65|brief}} | ! {{period|65|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[fumarole on Beluchenko's p13]] | | [[fumarole on Beluchenko's p13]] | ||
| {{cells|52}} | | {{cells|52}} | ||
| Line 461: | Line 461: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|67|brief}} | ! {{period|67|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p67 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p67 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|68|brief}} | ! {{period|68|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[72P68]] | | [[72P68]] | ||
|{{cells|72}} | |{{cells|72}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|69|brief}} | ! {{period|69|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| p69 180° glider loop | | p69 180° glider loop | ||
|{{cells|146}} | |{{cells|146}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|70|brief}} | ! {{period|70|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[fumarole on 34P14 shuttle]] | | [[fumarole on 34P14 shuttle]] | ||
| {{cells|52}} | | {{cells|52}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|71|brief}} | ! {{period|71|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p71 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p71 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
| Line 503: | Line 503: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|73|brief}} | ! {{period|73|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p73 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p73 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|74|brief}} | ! {{period|74|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
|David Buckingham | | David Buckingham | ||
| 1996 | | 1996 | ||
| [[Raucci's p74]] | | [[Raucci's p74]] | ||
| Line 524: | Line 524: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|76|brief}} | ! {{period|76|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[mold on 44P38]] | | [[mold on 44P38]] | ||
| {{cells|56}} | | {{cells|56}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|77|brief}} | ! {{period|77|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[meatball on rattlesnake]] | | [[meatball on rattlesnake]] | ||
|{{cells|71}} | |{{cells|71}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|78|brief}} | ! {{period|78|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[p6 thumb on Beluchenko's p13]] | | [[p6 thumb on Beluchenko's p13]] | ||
|{{cells|61}} | |{{cells|61}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|79|brief}} | ! {{period|79|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p79 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p79 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
| Line 559: | Line 559: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|81|brief}} | ! {{period|81|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| p81 180° glider loop | | p81 180° glider loop | ||
|{{cells|146}} | |{{cells|146}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|82|brief}} | ! {{period|82|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p82 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p82 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|208}} | |{{cells|208}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|83|brief}} | ! {{period|83|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p83 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p83 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
| Line 587: | Line 587: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|85|brief}} | ! {{period|85|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[74P85]] | | [[74P85]] | ||
|{{cells|74}} | |{{cells|74}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|86|brief}} | ! {{period|86|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p86 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p86 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|208}} | |{{cells|208}} | ||
| Line 615: | Line 615: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|89|brief}} | ! {{period|89|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p89 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p89 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
| Line 629: | Line 629: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|91|brief}} | ! {{period|91|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[meatball on Beluchenko's p13]] | | [[meatball on Beluchenko's p13]] | ||
|{{cells|72}} | |{{cells|72}} | ||
| Line 643: | Line 643: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|93|brief}} | ! {{period|93|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[caterer on Merzenich's p31]] | | [[caterer on Merzenich's p31]] | ||
|{{cells|60}} | |{{cells|60}} | ||
| Line 657: | Line 657: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|95|brief}} | ! {{period|95|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| p95 180° glider loop | | p95 180° glider loop | ||
| {{cells|166}} | | {{cells|166}} | ||
| Line 671: | Line 671: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|97|brief}} | ! {{period|97|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p97 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p97 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|98|brief}} | ! {{period|98|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Gallus]] | | [[Gallus]] | ||
| {{cells|105}} | | {{cells|105}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|99|brief}} | ! {{period|99|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[48P9 on rattlesnake]] | | [[48P9 on rattlesnake]] | ||
|{{cells|82}} | |{{cells|82}} | ||
| Line 699: | Line 699: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|101|brief}} | ! {{period|101|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p101 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p101 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
| Line 713: | Line 713: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|103|brief}} | ! {{period|103|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[Adjustable glider loop|p103 Snark loop]] | | [[Adjustable glider loop|p103 Snark loop]] | ||
|{{cells|228}} | |{{cells|228}} | ||
| Line 734: | Line 734: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|106|brief}} | ! {{period|106|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p106 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p106 rectifier loop]] | ||
|{{cells|169}} | |{{cells|169}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|107|brief}} | ! {{period|107|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p107 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p107 rectifier loop]] | ||
|{{cells|136}} | |{{cells|136}} | ||
| Line 755: | Line 755: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|109|brief}} | ! {{period|109|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p109 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p109 rectifier loop]] | ||
| {{cells|156}} | | {{cells|156}} | ||
| Line 769: | Line 769: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|111|brief}} | ! {{period|111|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p111 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p111 rectifier loop]] | ||
| {{cells|136}} | | {{cells|136}} | ||
| Line 783: | Line 783: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|113|brief}} | ! {{period|113|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[nihonium]] | | [[nihonium]] | ||
| {{cells|106}} | | {{cells|106}} | ||
| Line 797: | Line 797: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|115|brief}} | ! {{period|115|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p115 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p115 rectifier loop]] | ||
| {{cells|136}} | | {{cells|136}} | ||
| Line 811: | Line 811: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|117|brief}} | ! {{period|117|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| {{LinkCatagolue|xp117_x32acxca23zggxg84448gxggy2g88cz14fes72x27sef41y211zyfeehrzyq33zyfo8gy5g33zyfopw11267608g3568w66zyseu4zyu3|patternname=112P117|style=raw}} | | {{LinkCatagolue|xp117_x32acxca23zggxg84448gxggy2g88cz14fes72x27sef41y211zyfeehrzyq33zyfo8gy5g33zyfopw11267608g3568w66zyseu4zyu3|patternname=112P117|style=raw}} | ||
| {{cells|112}} | | {{cells|112}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|118|brief}} | ! {{period|118|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p118 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p118 rectifier loop]] | ||
| {{cells|154}} | | {{cells|154}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|119|brief}} | ! {{period|119|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[rectifier|p119 rectifier loop]] | | [[rectifier|p119 rectifier loop]] | ||
| {{cells|136}} | | {{cells|136}} | ||
| Line 860: | Line 860: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|129|brief}} | ! {{period|129|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| p129 180° glider loop | | p129 180° glider loop | ||
|{{cells|146}} | |{{cells|146}} | ||
| Line 909: | Line 909: | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|141|brief}} | ! {{period|141|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[p47 pre-pulsar shuttle phase-shifting 28P7.1]] | | [[p47 pre-pulsar shuttle phase-shifting 28P7.1]] | ||
| {{cells|114}} | | {{cells|114}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
! {{period|143|brief}} | ! {{period|143|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[p143 Bandersnatch loop]] | | [[p143 Bandersnatch loop]] | ||
| {{cells|144}} | | {{cells|144}} | ||
| Line 1,008: | Line 1,008: | ||
! {{period|226|brief}} | ! {{period|226|brief}} | ||
| | | Herschel loop | ||
| | | David Buckingham | ||
| | | 1996 | ||
| [[nihonium*]] | | [[nihonium*]] | ||
| {{cells|107}} | | {{cells|107}} | ||
Revision as of 23:14, 2 June 2022
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 (the individual cells that actually oscillate) and a stator (the cells which remain alive throughout its whole period).
Cellular automaton theory recognizes shift periodicity, which refers to a configuration reappearing in shifted form after a lapse of one or more generations. Without the shift, it is an oscillator, but if it moves it would be called a spaceship.
Important oscillators by period
A list of the first-discovered oscillator of each period,[1] as well the current smallest-known oscillator of that period,[2] is provided here. Note that only non-trivial oscillators are considered here, in the sense that there must be at least one cell that oscillates at the full period. In some cases, it is not known for certain what the first-discovered oscillator of a given period is, and in such situations all possible candidates are listed. For any period 61 or greater an oscillator can be constructed using the Herschel track method. In April, 2013 Mike Playle found a small 90-degree stable reflector known as the Snark that allows oscillators of all periods 43 or greater to be constructed.
Flipper
A flipper is any oscillator that forms its mirror image halfway through its period. For example, see p60 toad flipper.
Notes
References
- ↑ Dean Hickerson's oscillator stamp collection. Retrieved on April 11, 2009.
- ↑ Jeremy Tan (July 3, 2021). Re: Smallest Known Oscillators to p106 (and Beyond) (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
See also
- List of common oscillators
- List of flipping oscillators
- List of oscillators
- Omniperiodic
- Table of oscillators by period
- Oscillator periods status table
- Almost oscillator
- Oscillizer-analyze and get vital statistics for an oscillator
External links
- Oscillator at Wikipedia
- Oscillator at the Life Lexicon
- Flipper at the Life Lexicon
Forum threads
- Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
- Smallest Known Oscillators to p106 (and Beyond) (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
- First Known Oscillators for Each Period (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums