LCM oscillator

From LifeWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The least common multiple (LCM) of two nonzero integers a and b, usually denoted by lcm(a, b), is the smallest positive integer that is divisible by both a and b.[1]

A least-common-multiple oscillator, often abbreviated to LCM oscillator or LCM, is a non-trivial[note 1] oscillator that has two parts that interact only when each part is in a particular phase, which results in an overall period of the least common multiple of the periods of the smaller parts. There are several types of LCM oscillators.

Dying sparks

The most common type of LCM oscillator is one where dying sparks interact. They are thus named spark-coupled oscillators as well.[2] These are often the smallest of their period by population. At least one of the oscillators needs to have a two-cell (or greater) spark; if both are dot sparkers, there will not be enough cells for a birth between them. Those that are SKOPs and period 50 or below include:

Note that if the two periods are coprime, the resulting period will be their product, but this is not the case if they aren't coprime.

Below is a typical example of an LCM oscillator. This one is unix on Rich's p16, a p48 oscillator that was formerly the smallest.

x = 23, y = 17, rule = B3/S23 14bo3bo$13bobobobo$14b2ob2o2$11bo9bo$10bobo7bobo$10bo3b2ob2o3bo$11bo3b obo3bo$12b2obobob2o$5b2o7bo3bo$5b2o3$5b3o$2o2bob2o$2o2b2o$4b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 12 GPS 12 ]]
unix on Rich's p16
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere

The example below was named "Obnoxious p230" in Dean Hickerson's oscillator collection. It was found by Bill Gosper on May 28, 1992.[3] It has a period of 5 × 46 = 230. What makes this one slightly different is that two of the five p46 cycles create a temporary object that is then quickly destroyed.

x = 33, y = 26, rule = B3/S23 9b2o$5b2o2bo$4bo2bobo$2obobobob2o$ob2obobobo$11bo$b4obob3obo$o4b3o4bo$ b3ob3ob3o$3b7o5$4b3o$19bo3b3o$18bobo2b5o3b2o$18bo3b2o3b2o2b2o$19bo2bo 3b2o$20b3o3bo2$20b3o3bo$19bo2bo3b2o$4b2o12bo3b2o3b2o$4b2o12bobo2b5o$ 19bo3b3o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ HEIGHT 400 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 60 ]]
Obnoxious p230
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere

Single objects

Honey thieves (period 17) has no accessible sparks; however, there are ways of replacing one of the fishhooks with a period-3 (overall 51), 4 (overall 68) or 5 (overall 85) component. Other periods with billiard tables can do the same. To qualify as non-trivial, there needs to be at least one cell that oscillates at the full period; all of those below do.

x = 25, y = 20, rule = B3/S23 11b2o5bo$11bo4b2obo$6bob2obo2b2o3bo$6b2obob2o3bo2bob2o$9bo5bo2b2obo2bo $o8b2ob2o3bo5b2o$3o10bobob2o$3bo5b2obo2b2o3bo$2bo6b2obobo3b3o$3bo9bo2b 2o$6b2o6b2o2bo$6b2o9b2o2$7b2o$7b2o$11bo$4b2o6bo$5bo5bo$2b3o7b3o$2bo11b o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 26 ]]
The period-51 oscillator mentioned above, 90P51
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
x = 22, y = 20, rule = B3/S23 2bo11bo$2b3o7b3o$5bo5bo$4b2o5b2o2$7b2o$7b2o$6bobo$6b2o$6b2o$13bo$2b2o 5b2obobo2b2o$3bo5b2obo2bo2bo$3o10bob2obob2o$o8b2ob2o4bo2bo$9bo5b3obo$ 10b3o5bo$13bob3o$10b2obobo$10bobo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 34 ]]
The period-68 oscillator mentioned above, 72P68
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
11b2o$6b2o4bo$4b3o3bobob2o$bobo4bob2obobo$b2ob4obo3bo$4bo4bo3bo$4bob2o bobob3o$3b2o2bobob2o3bo$5bo2b2o4b2o$b3o2b3o2b3o$obo3bobo2b2o$o3b2o2bo 5b2o$b3o4bob4o2bo$3bo5bo5b2o$11bo$10b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 13 ]]
A period-13 component (53P13) acting with a period-2 component; this is 87P26
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
x = 26, y = 26, rule = B3/S23 9b2o$9bo$2o4b2obo$o2b2o3bo$b2o2$b2o$obobo3b2o$o3b2obo2bo$b4o10b2o$10bo 4bo$3b2o3bo3bo3b3o$3bo5bob5o2bo$5bo10bo$4b2o3b5o2b2o$8bo5bobo2bo$4b2o 3b2o2b2o3b2o$4bo2bobo5bo$6b2o2b4obo$7bo$5bo2b5obo9b2o$5b3o3bobo5b3o2b 2o$8bo10bo$7b2o9bobo$14b2ob2o$14b2o3bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ HEIGHT 400 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 56 ]]
LCM(14,16) = 112;[note 2] 116P112
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
x = 40, y = 21, rule = B3/S23 4b2o$4bo$b2obo10bo14bo$bo2b2o9b3o7b2o2bobo$3bo2bo11bo6bo3bobo$bob3obo 9b2o7b3obob2o$obo4bo20bobo3bo$o2b3o15bo8b2ob2o2bo$b2o2bo5bo8b2o7bo2bo 2b3o$3b2o6bo16bobo3bo$3bo7bo8bo7bobo3bobobo$bobo16bo6b2o3bobob2obo$b2o 7b2o8bo5bo2bobo2bo4bo$10bo15b4obob2ob3o$24bo5bobo2b2o$13b2o9bob3obo2b o$13bo11bo2bob3o$14b3o9b2o$16bo10bob2o$27bo2bo$28b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] [[ HEIGHT 400 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 14 GPS 12 ]]
A period 19 component (Cribbage) interacting with p5 billiard table by Matthias Merzenich to form 141P95[5]
(click above to open LifeViewer)
Catagoluehere


Hasslers

See also: Hassle

There are some objects that can be pushed with more than one oscillator. In many cases, the reaction fails in some generations, so examples with higher greatest common factors are more likely to work, as they skip over the problematic generations. Sometimes, phase offsets are allowed. Some examples are shown below:

x = 49, y = 28, rule = B3/S23 3b2o$3bo$5bo$4b4o$3bo4bo$3b5obo$b2o6bo7b2o$o2bobobob2o6bobo4bo12bo$2ob obobo2bo6bobo5bo9bobo$3bo2bob2o8b2o3b2o3b2o3b2o$3b2obo3bo16bo2bo2b2o 12b2o$5bobob2o17b2o3b2o12b2o$5bobobo25bobo$6bo2bo27bo$7b2o$14b8o$12b3o b4ob3o$11bo12bo$12b7o2b2obo$22b2o$14bob5o$13bobo5b3o$13bobo3b2o3bo$12b 2ob2obobob2o$19bo2bo$20bobo$18bobob2o$18b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 45 ]]
Beehive hassler; LCM(18,30) = 90[6]
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
x = 37, y = 26, rule = B3/S23 2o$2o5b2o$6bobo$6bo4bo$7b2o3bo$8bo2bo$10bo$6bo$5bo2bo$4bo3b2o$5bo4bo 14bo$8bobo12bobo$8b2o5b2o4b2o12b2o$15b2o4b2o12b2o$21b2o$23bobo$25bo2$ 13b2o$12bo2bo$13bobo$14bo$10b2o7b2o$11bo7bo$8b3o9b3o$8bo13bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 GPS 60 ]]
Loaf flipper; LCM(40,30) = 120[7]
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
x = 59, y = 55, rule = B3/S23 23b2o$23bobob2o$25bobo$24bo2bo$17b2ob2obobob2o$18bobo3b2o3bo$18bobo5b 3o$19bob5o$27b2o$17b7o2b2obo$16bo12bo$17b3ob4ob3o$19b8o4$22b2o$10b2o 10b2o$10bo7bo2bo$11b2o7b2o$8b4o6b4o$8b2o7b2o$8bo2bo7bo15b4o$6b2o10b2o 14b6o$6b2o25b8o$32b2o6b2o$33b8o$34b6o$3b8o24b4o$b3ob4ob3o$o12bo6b2o$ob 2o2b7o6bo2bo$b2o16bobo25b2o6b2o$4b5obo9bo25bo2bo4bo2bo$b3o5bobo33b6o2b 6o$o3b2o3bobo23bobo8bo2bo4bo2bo$b2obobob2ob2o22bobo9b2o6b2o$2bo2bo26bo 2bo2bo$2bobo27bo4bo$b2obobo24bo2bo2bo$5b2o6b2o6b2o9bobo$12bo2bo4bo2bo 8bobo$11b6o2b6o$12bo2bo4bo2bo$13b2o6b2o24b2obo$47b2ob3o$53bo$47b2ob3o$ 31b4o13bobo$30b6o12bobo$29b8o12bo$28b2o6b2o$29b8o$30b6o$31b4o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ HEIGHT 450 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 8 GPS 60 ]]
Loaf flipper using a different reaction from the other two in this gallery; LCM(60,48) = 240[8]
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere
x = 49, y = 32, rule = B3/S23 b2o$b2o$20b2o10b2o$19bo2bo8bo2bo$2obo15b3o10b3o$bobo18b10o8bo$2bo18bo 2b6o2bo5b5o$b2o4b2o12b2o2b4o2b2o2bobo5bo$b2o4b2o26b2obobobobo2bo$b2o7b obo25bo3bob4o$10bo2bo24bobobo$10bo2bo25bob7o$11b2o35bo$27b3o12bo3bobo$ 27bo2bo7bo3b2o2b2o$31bo6bo4bo$27bo2bo7bo$27b3o11bobo$42bo2$b2o$b2o4b2o $7b2o2$ob2o15b2o$obo15bo2bo$bo16bobo$b2o16bo$b2o10b2o7b2o$b2o11bo7bo$ 11b3o9b3o$11bo13bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ HEIGHT 450 THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 8 GPS 60 ]]
Loaf flipper using the same reaction as the p120; LCM(76,72) = 1368[7]
(click above to open LifeViewer)
RLE: here Plaintext: here
Catagoluehere


Completions of partials

Occasionally, a hassler partial can be completed with an LCM reaction but not with the base period. The p345 shown on the Karel's p15 page is an example, with LCM(69,15)=345. The second p52 on the lumps of muck hasslers page was an example for one day; p104 (figure eight) and p152 (unix) completions were known one day before the toad that kept it at p52 was discovered.

See also

Notes

  1. Trivial oscillators are typically not counted in this definition.
  2. Found by Noam Elkies on September 14, 2014[4]

References

  1. Least common multiple at Wikipedia
  2. User:Tropylium/Spark-coupled oscillator
  3. Dean Hickerson's oscillator stamp collection. Retrieved on November 14, 2021.
  4. Matthias Merzenich (April 18, 2018). "osc-supplement pattern collection". Retrieved on November 14, 2021.
  5. Matthias Merzenich (July 14, 2023). Re: Smallest Known Oscillators to p106 (and Beyond) (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
  6. 83bismuth38 (November 1, 2021). Message in #cgol on the Conwaylife Lounge Discord server
  7. 7.0 7.1 David Raucci (October 31, 2021). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums
  8. David Raucci (October 26, 2021). Re: Oscillator Discussion Thread (discussion thread) at the ConwayLife.com forums