Figure eight
| Figure eight | |||||||||||
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| Pattern type | Oscillator | ||||||||||
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| Number of cells | 12 | ||||||||||
| Bounding box | 10×10 | ||||||||||
| Frequency class | 23.4 | ||||||||||
| Period | 8 | ||||||||||
| Mod | 8 | ||||||||||
| Heat | 16.5 | ||||||||||
| Volatility | 1.00 | ||||||||||
| Strict volatility | 1.00 | ||||||||||
| Discovered by | Simon Norton | ||||||||||
| Year of discovery | 1970 | ||||||||||
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Figure eight (or less frequently, big beacon[1] or lemniscate) is a period 8 oscillator found by Simon Norton in 1970. With 12 cells in its initial phase, it is the smallest known period 8 oscillator, behind blocker at 15 cells. It is known that no period 8 oscillators exist with 10 or fewer cells.[2]
As a building block for larger oscillators
Because it produces a domino spark in one of its phases, it is useful for constructing larger oscillators that have period that is a multiple of eight. For example, it appears in tumbling T-tetson (period 8), sailboat (period 16), caterer on figure eight (the smallest period 24 oscillator), and figure eight on 36P22 (period 88).
As a reflector
Figure eight has the ability to act as a 90-degree glider reflector when it is combined with a block, boat and eater 1. The input path (in green) and output path (in red) of the glider are shown below.
Commonness
Figure eight is the tenth most common naturally-occurring oscillator in Achim Flammenkamp's census, being less common than the great on-off but more common than the spark coil.[3] On Catagolue, it is the most common period 8 oscillator, being more common than blocker.[4]
Image gallery
One of the phases of the oscillator, which led to both of its names.
See also
References
- ↑ "Big beacon". The Life Lexicon. Stephen Silver. Retrieved on June 14, 2011.
- ↑ Mark Niemiec (1998). "Life Period-8 Oscillators". Retrieved on February 5, 2009.
- ↑ Achim Flammenkamp (September 7, 2004). "Most seen natural occurring ash objects in Game of Life". Retrieved on January 15, 2009.
- ↑ Adam P. Goucher. "Statistics". Catagolue. Retrieved on October 27, 2018.
External links
- Figure-8 at the Life Lexicon
- 12P8.1 at Heinrich Koenig's Game of Life Object Catalogs
- Patterns
- Patterns with Catagolue frequency class 23.4
- Natural periodic objects
- Oscillators with 12 cells
- Patterns with 12 cells
- Patterns found by Simon Norton
- Patterns found in 1970
- Patterns that can be constructed with 4 gliders
- Oscillators
- Periodic objects with minimum population 12
- Oscillators with period 8
- Oscillators with mod 8
- Oscillators with heat 16
- Oscillators with volatility 1.00
- Oscillators with strict volatility 1.00
- Patterns with rectangular diagonal symmetry
- Sparkers
- Sparkers with period 8
- Moderate sparkers
- Domino sparkers
