Phi spark

Phi spark
x = 5, y = 4, rule = B3/S23 b3o$o3bo$o3bo$b3o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GPS 3 LOOP 24 ZOOM 32 PAUSE 2 AUTOSTART ]]
View static image
Pattern type	Spark
Number of cells	10
Bounding box	5 × 4
Static symmetry	Unspecified
Discovered by	Unknown
Year of discovery	Unknown
Pattern files Plaintext phispark.cells RLE phispark.rle

A phi spark is a common, large symmetric spark that dies in 9 generations. It gains its name from resemblance of its generation 1 to a capital letter phi (ɸ).

Sparker oscillators which produce phi sparks are called phi-sparkers and are of considerable importance due to the several uses of the spark. The pentadecathlon, which splits into two phi sparks during its cycle for a span of five generations before their central halves regenerate the oscillator, is the most commonly used; other phi-sparklers include Tanner's p46.

Occurrence and evolution

Phi sparks are a rather common sight in the evolution of soups, being produced during the evolution of the well-known Herschel.

	A phi spark.
	Generation 1 reveals the origin of the name.
	A triangle is a common parent of the phi spark.
	A 7-cell pattern arising from a Herschel, which becomes a phi spark in 8 generations (a triangle in 7).

The majority of phi sparks have a triangle as a parent. Other parents do exist; the second most common parent is displayed below. A 2×5 rectangle also becomes a phi spark, but its natural occurrence is uncommon.

b2o$ob2o$5o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ GPS 4 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]

Another phi spark parent (click above to open LifeViewer)

Uses

Interactions with gliders

Phi sparks can interact with gliders in several ways, with reflections being one of the most commonly utilised such interactions.

x = 45, y = 18, rule = B3/S23 16b3o$15bo3bo$15bo3bo$16b3o3$2bo11b2o7bo20bo$2o10bo4bo3b2o12b2o5b2o$b 2o9bo4bo4b2o9bo4bo4b2o$12bo4bo15bo4bo$14b2o17bo4bo$35b2o2$b3o$o3bo32b 3o$o3bo31bo3bo$b3o32bo3bo$37b3o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ AUTOSTART GPS 3 LOOP 12 ZOOM 12 THUMBSIZE 2 PAUSE 2 T 11 PAUSE 2 HEIGHT 480 WIDTH 600 ]]

(click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

As an induction coil

Some natural period-2 oscillators have generation 0 of the phi spark with the three-cell leading edge on each side stabilized by various objects. The center oscillates with period 2 in a similar manner to a spark coil or test tube baby.

9b2o$8bobo$2o2b2o2bo$o2bo2bobobo$bobo2bo2b2o$2obo2bo$4b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ GPS 4 THUMBSIZE 2 ]]

An example of the paragraph above (click above to open LifeViewer)

See also

• 22P36

External links

• Phi spark at the Life Lexicon