Rotor

The rotor of an oscillator consists of all its cells that change state at some point during its evolution. This term was coined by Allan Wechsler in 1994. Unless the rule of evolution contains neighborhoods which simply bounce their cell back and forth, a changed cell implies that the neighborhood must also have changed. Conway's Life meets this requirement since birth requires three neighbors and two or three for maintainance. Once born, were that cell to die, those numbers must have changed, implying another, contiguous, change.

x = 289, y = 304, rule = B3/S23 39bo$37bobo$41bo$36b6o$34bo$32bobo3b2o$30bo9bo15bo$28bobo6bo16bobo$38b 2o13bo4bo58bo$26b2o25b5o16b2o39bobo$25bo32bo14bobo43bo$55b2o18bob3o7b o26b6o16bo$23b2o30bobo14b2obo2b3o4bobo24bo23bobo$22bo52bo13bo22bo3b2o 16bo4bo$20bo34bo18bo9b6o21bo6bo16b5o$20bo33bo21bo5bo26bo5bo17bo$19bo34b o22bo4bo3b2o21bo6b2o8b2o3b2o4bo$17bo34bo24bo3bo6bo19bo17bobo7b2o26bo$ 17bo33bo20b2o5bo5bo44bo5b2o26bobo$5bo10bo34bo22bo5bo5b2o11bo6b2o18bo2b o6bo25bo4bo$4b2o8bo34bo21bo6bo3bo15b2o5bo21bo3bo15b2o14b5o$4b2o6bobo32b 2o23b2o3bo4bo15b2o27bo4b2o13bobo9bobo$4bo5bo66bo5bo14bo4b2o54bo5bo$8b obo35bo23b6o9bo16bo31bo14bobo3bobo6b2o37b2o$2b5o37b2o24bo13bo11b5o29b o3bobo18bo8b2o38bo2bo$2bo4bo64bobo4b3o2bob2o8bo4bo27bo2bobo16bobo10bo 20bo15b2obobobo$3bobo37bo28bo7b3obo12bobo29bo2bobob2o45bobo18bo2bo$5b o38bo39bobo12bo31bo2bo16bo35bo14bobo$42b3o39b2o48b2o46b6o15bo$150b2o28b o$41b6o131bobo3b2o15b2o$46bo102bo26bo9bo$42bobo129bobo6bo17bo$44bo103b 2o22bo11b2o17b2o$171bobo27bo2bo$117bo29bo23bo32bob2o$116bobo53b2o27b2o bob2o$117bo28b2o27bo28bo65bo$175bobo24b3o4b2o48b2o8bobo$115b5o28bo30b o29b2o48b2o9bo$68b2o28b2o14bo4bo59bobo19b2o14bo4bo4bo4bo9bo9bo$68b2o28b 2o12bo2bobo30b2o33bo23b6o3bobo2bobo2bobo2bobo7bobo7bobo3b6o5b5o$79bo9b o20bobo4bo65bobo16bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo9bo9bo4bo4bo4bo4bo$66b6o5b2o8bo bo6b6o6bo41bo36bo16bo5bobobo5bobobo5bobobobobobobobobobobobobo5bobobo bo2bobo$66bo4bo7b2o7bobo5bo4bo4bobo78bobob2o11bobobobo3bobobobo3bobob obo3bo5bo3bo5bo3bobobobo3bo4bo$64bobobo5bo3bo5bo3bo5bobobo5bo45b2o40b o44bo9bo$62bobo3bobobobo7bobo7bobo3bobobobo86bo44bobo7bobo$50bo3bobob obo15b5o5b5o61bo84bo9bo$48bobobobo5bo20bo9bo59bo38bobo$16bo3bobobobo3b obobobo3bobobobo5bo4bo19bobo7bobo61b2obobo31bo2b2o$3bo10bobobobo5bobo bo5bobobo5bo5b6o21bo7bo2bo65bo29bobo$2b2o8bo5bo4bo4bo4bo4bo4bo44b2o68b obo7bo7bo7bo$2b2o6bobo5b6o4b6o4b6o10b2o104bo5bobo5bobo5bobo$2bo5bo45b 2o106bobo5bobo5bobo$6bobo11b2o8b2o8b2o122bo7bo7bo$5o15b2o8b2o8b2o$o4b o$bobo$3bo283b2o$286bobo$280b2o$280bobobobo$149bo$149bobo128bo3bo$140b o6bo4bo125bo3bo$140bobo5b5o123bo2bo2bo$138bo5bobo74bobo52bo3bo$144bo5b o68bo2bo2bo48bo3bo$137b2o10b2o66bo2bobobo2bo40b2o$149b2o67bobobobobo2b o38bobobobobobo$71b2o15bo50bo9bo66b3obobobobobo2bo45b2o$6b2o62bobo13b obobo128bo2bobobobobo37bo3bo$5bobo64bob3o7bobobo43bo6b2o41bo32b4o3bob obobob3o33bo3bo$7bob3o57b2obo2b3o4bo2b2obob2o40bobo45bobo16bobo21bo3b 2o24b2o9bo2bo2bo$4b2obo2b3o59bo9bo5bo41bo5bobo45bo15bo2bo10b5o10b5o19b o10bo3bo$7bo14b2o47bo9bo6b2o46bo42b6o12b2obobo16bo9bo24bobo5bo3bo$6bo 12bo2bo50bo5bo39bo9b2o46bo22bob3o10b5o10b5o$8bo8bo2bobob2o48bo4bo39bo bo53bobo3b2o15bobo19b2o3bo30bobobobobobo$17bo2bobo51bo3bo38bo13bo41bo 9bo15bob5o10b3obobobobo3b4o33bo$8b2o8bo3bobo44b2o5bo40b6o48bobo6bo19b o17bobobobobo2bo26bo3bo5b2o9b2o$22bo48bo5bo46bo6b2o36bo11b2o18b6o10bo 2bobobobobob3o21bo3bo15bo2bobo$10bo57bo6bo3bo39b2o3bobo37b2obobo49bo2b obobobobo21bo2bo2bo14bobobo$20b2o47b2o3bo4bo38bo9bobo33bo36b5o15bo2bo bobo2bo20bo3bo17bo2bob2o$10b2o62bo5bo40bo6bo36bo34bo22bo2bo2bo20bo3bo 22bo$20bo46b6o46b2o79b5o20bobo16b2o32bo$12bo29b2o10b2o11bo13b2o65bo15b obo10bo66bobobobobobo24bo$18b2o22bo10bobo13bobo11bo62bobo15b2o2bo8b2o 19b6o49b2o$12b2o29bobo23bo75bo4bo17bobo6b2o18bo46bo3bo30b2o$18bo32bob o30b2o58bob4o22bo5bo18b6o43bo$14bo30bobo95bobo4bo21bobo67b2o2bo34bo$16b obo30bobo33bo57bobob2o27b5o18b3o42bo$12bobo32bo92b2obobobobo25bo4bo18b o81b2o$18bobo30bo34b2o51bobobobobo29bobo22bo$10bobo32b2o89bo2bobobobo 31bo20bo3bobo78bobo$9bo10bobo28b2o34bo47bobobobobo53bo2bobobobo78bobo $9b2o10b2o22bo43bo42bo2bobobobo55bo2bobobobobo78bo$50bo37bo39b2obobob obobo59bo2bobobobobo75bobo$43b2o38b3o2bob2o35bobobobobobo64b2o2bobobo bo73bo$49b2o33b3obo35bo2bobobobobo70bobobobobo$44bo43bobo31bo2bobobob obo73bo2bobobobo67bobo$48bo39b2o32bo2bobobobo78bobobobobo63bobobo$44b obo2bo73bo3bobo81b2obobobobo65bo$48b2o15bo61bo86bobob2o60b2o$42bobo20b obo146bobo4bo$63bo61b2o88bob4o60bo$40bobo20b6o147bo4bo60bo$40b2o83bo91b obo63bo$65b3o151bo60b2obo2bo$65bo57b2o158bobobo$66bo214bobo2bo$123bo158b 2o$64b2o$63bo57b2o42bo$163bobobo$61b2o58bo39bobobobobo$57b2obo98bobob obobobobo$57bo61b2o36bobobo2bo2bobobobo$58bo99b2obo5b2o2bobobo$119bo36b o3bo10bob2o$53b2obobo58bo39b3o12bo3bo25b2o5b2o$53bo3b2o56bo2bo36bo17b 3o28bo4bobo$54bo58bo2bobo2b3o32b2o19bo23bo4b2obobo$111bo2bobobob3o31b o3bo16b2o25b2o3bobobob2o$49b2obobo54bo2bobobobo36b3o16bo3bo28bobobobo bo$49bo3b2o52bo2bobobobobo34bo21b3o22b6o3bobobobo2b2o$50bo54bo2bobobo bob2o36b2o23bo20bo10bobobobobo2bo$103bo2bobobo2bo38bo3bo20b2o22b4o8bo bobobobo2bo$45b2obobo50bo2bobobobo42b3o20bo3bo34bobobobo2bo$45bo3b2o48b o2bobobo2bo41bo24b4o19b5o13bobo3bo$46bo50bo2bobobobo45b4o24bo17bo20bo $98bobobob2o45bo3bo20b3o19b5o19bo$45bobob2o13bo19bo11b3obobo50b2o20bo 3bo40b3o$45b2o3bo11bobo19bobo13bobo49bo23b2o18b6o$49bo16bo15bo12b5obo 52b3o21bo16bo23b6o$61b6o15b6o12bo52bo3bo16b3o18b6o23bo$45b2obobo45bob o56b2o16bo3bo40b6o$45bo3b2o11b3o19b3o11bo55bo19b2o21b3o$46bo17bo19bo71b 3o17bo20bo19b5o$63bo21bo69bo3bo12b3o25bo20bo$45bobob2o60bo45b2obo10bo 3bo20bo3bobo13b5o$45b2o3bo12bobob2o11b2obobo25bobo42bobobo2b2o5bob2o21b o2bobobobo$49bo13b2o3bo5bo5bo3b2o23bo4bo43bobobobo2bo2bobobo20bo2bobo bobobo8b4o$67bo5bobo5bo28b5o45bobobobobobobo24bo2bobobobobo10bo$45b2o bobo22bobo33bo52bobobobobo29b2o2bobobobo3b6o$45bo3b2o16bobob2obob2obo bo29b2o34bo16bobobo35bobobobobo$46bo20b2o3bobobo3b2o28bobo32bobo18bo38b 2obobobo3b2o$71bo2bo2bo66bo4bo58bobob2o4bo$45bobob2o22bobo36bo31b5o59b obo4bo$45b2o3bo60bo3b2o32bo59b2o5b2o$49bo61b2obobo29b2o$146bobo$45b2o bobo65bo6bo$45bo3b2o64bo3b2obobo21bo$46bo68b2obobobobo2bo14b2o3bo$120b obobobobo13bobob2o$44b2o76bobobobo2bo39bobo$43bo80bobobobobo9bo29bo2b o$34b2o90bobobobo2b2ob2o3bo25b2obobo3b2o$33bobo5b2o85bobobobobobobob2o 28bob2obobo$35bob2obo45bo43bobobobobo31bobo$32b2obobo48bobo43bobobo34b 2o6bo$35bo2bo32b2o13bobobo43bo43bo3b2o$34bobo33bobo105b2obobo$88bobob o$68bobo112bo$87bobo2bobo55bo31bo$66bobo79bobo31b3o51bo$86bobo5bobo55b o81bobobo$64bobo80b6o29b4o46bobobo$60bo24bobo8bobo82bo48bo2b2obob2o$60b obobo32b2o49b3o31b5o43bo5bo$60bo19b2o2bobo35bo27bo78bo6b2o$62bo17bo41b obo24bo32b4o41bo$60bo2bo17bobobo34bo60bo45bo$61b2obo56b5o23bobob2o27b 3o41bo$60bo2bo19bobobo24b2o3bobo7bo21b2o3bo69bo$62bo22bobo24bo4bo5bo3b obob2ob2o17bo26b4o40bo$61bo25bo25bobo5b2o9bob2o25bo17bo43bo$123b2o5bo bo20bobob2obobo17b3o38bo$56b2obobo50b3obobo3bo5bo2b2o20b2o3bobobo2bo55b o$56bo3b2o56bo7bobo28bo2bobobobo11b4o37bo3bo$57bo62b5o34bo2bobobo2bo7b o40bob3o$46bo78bo35bo2bobobobo5bob3o38bo3bo$46bo2b2ob2obobo63bobo39bo 2bobobo2bo2bobo42bo$45bo2bobobo3b2o63bo2bo40bo2bobobobobo2bo41bo$50bo 2bo68b2o43bo2bobobo2bo45bo$45bobobobo117bo2bo2bo48bo$45b2o124bobo25bo b2o21bo$197b2o3bo23bo$201bo25bo$199bo27bo$199bo29bo$197bo32bo$198b3o29b o13bo$177bo18bo35bo9bobobo$177bobo17b5o31bo6bobobo$175bo19bo37bo4bobo bobob2o$175b6o15b7o32b2obobobobo$194bo43bobobob2o$177b3o15b9o32bobobo bo$43b2o132bo16bo43bobobob2o3b2o$44bo133bo17b9o35bobobobobo2bo$41bobo 151bo46bobobobobo$123bo52b2o19b2ob6o38bobobobob2o$39b2ob3o76bobo51bo19b o2bobo45bobobo$125bobo68b2o3b4o43bobobo$37b2o80b2o6bo45b2o19bo55bo$69b 2o58bo39b2obo22b3o3b3o$10bo24b2o33bo49bo48bo23bo4bobo$8bobo56bobo59b2o 39bo23b5ob3o$7bo4bo20b2o63b2o21b2o70bo$7b5o53b2ob3o27bobob2ob2o21bo36b 2obobo24b7o$13bobo15b2o70bob2o15bo42bo3b2o23bo$9bo5bo47b2o35bo2bo20bo bobobo35bo29b5o$9b2o6bobo9b2o67bo3b2o20bo70bo$9b2o8bo41b2o30b2o3bo31b obo3bo24b2obobo30b3o$10bo10bobo3b2o64bobobo38bobo22bo34bo$23bo35b2o71b obo5bo21bo3bobo29bo$25b2o68bo44bobo55bo$57b2o35bo2bo34bo24b2obobo5bob o29bo$24bo69b4o45b2o12bo3b2o33b2o3bo$45bo9b2o74b2o25bo11bobo25bob2o$23b 2o18bobo48b2o48bo$11b2o34bobo3b2o39b2o37bo22bobo13bobob2ob2o$13bo6bob o18b2o6bo95b2o10b2o18bob2o$10bo9bo30b2o80b2o20bo18bo2bo$11b2o3bobo23b o102bo10b5o11bo3b2o$16bo33bo84bobo17bo4bo11bo$9b6o28b2o92bo5bobo11bob o11bo$9bo39b2o88bobo15bo11bo$11bobo30bo96bo3bobo21bo$11bo34bobo119bo$ 46bo100bobo16bo$166bo$149bobo13bo$163bo$151bobo9bo$72b2o88bo$72bobob2o b2o72bobo4bo$77bob2o79bo$74bo2bo77bobobo$72bo3b2o$72bo84bo$71bo84bo2b o$69bo86b4o$69bo$68bo15b2o70b2o$83bobo2bo67b2o$63b2obobo16bobobo$63bo 3b2o13b2obo2bo$64bo20bo$84bo$62bobo18bo$60bo2b2o$55b2o3bo21b2o14b2o$55b obobo37bobo$81bo$57bo35bobob2o$56bo2bo20b2o11bo84bo$56b4o29bobo7b2o36b 2o37b2o$79bo9bo44bo2bo40b2o$15b3o3b2o33b2o16b2o9bobo13b2o30bobobob2o34b 3o3bo22b2o$22bo33b2o16bobob2o5bo48bo2bo40b2o2b2o19bobo2bo$16bob2obo59b obo19b2o32bobo36bo3b2o3bo19bobobo$15bo60bo4bo56bo39b2o2b2o2b2o14b2obo 2bo$15b2o3b3o3b2o47bo2bo26b2o67b2o4bo3b2o3bo15bo$27bo47b4o24bo4bo30b2o 41b2o2b2o2b2o12bo$21bob2obo76b2o3bo66bo8bo3b2o3bo9bo$20bo54b2o32bo30b o36bo8b2o2b2o2b2o$20b2o3b3o3b2o42b2o34bo64bo11bo3b2o3bo4b2o$32bo78bo3b 2o24b2o28b3o2bob2o10b2o2b2o2b2o$26bob2obo80bobobo55b3obo15bo3b2o3bo$25b o115bo34bobo15b2o2b2o$25b2o3b3o3b2o76bo61b2o18bo3b3o$37bo74bo2bo23b2o 57b2o$31bob2obo75b4o22bo3bo57b2o$30bo106bob2o2b2o54bo$30b2o3b3o3b2o71b 2o21b2o2b2o3bo$42bo71b2o24bo2b2o2b2o$36bob2obo99b2o2b2o3bo$35bo108bo2b 2o2b2o$35b2o3b3o102b2o2b2o3bo$148bo2b2o2b2o$149b2o2b2o3bo$152bo2b2o2b 2o$153b2o2b2o3bo$156bo2b2o2b2o$157b2o2b2o3bo$160bo2b2o2b2o$161b2o2b2o 3bo25bo$164bo2b2o2b2o22bobo$165b2o2b2o3bo21bo$168bo2b2o2b2o$169b2o2b2o 3bo15b5o$172bo2b2o2b2o12bo4bo$173b2o2b2o3bo7bobo2bobo$176bo2b2o2b2o5b o4bo$177b2o2b2o3bobo$180bo2b2o2bo$181b2o2b2o$184bo2b3o$185b2o3bo$187b 3o$187bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 2.9 WIDTH 1000 HEIGHT 900 AUTOSTART GPS 2 LOOP 2 ]]

A collection of period 2 oscillator containing extendable rotors such as croaker and flutter (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

In summary, rotor cells must be adjacent to one another; possibly occurring only in isolated pairs. Some possibilities, including categories which have been given names, are listed in the following table.

The volatility of an oscillator is a measure of its relative rotor size.

example / category	comment	image
Beacon / Diagonal on-off	small oscillator period 2 2-cell rotor
Great on-off / Diagonal on-off	the same rotor as the preceding with a much larger stator
Blinker / Pole 2	small stator period 2 4-cell rotor
Block on griddle / Flutter	period 2
Spark coil / Orthogonal on-off	period 2
Quadpole / Pole 4	period 2
Cis-block on candlefrobra/Candlefrobra	period 3
Smiley	pure rotor period 8
Circle of fire	exterior rotor period 2
Babbling brook	single long rotor chain

See also

• Heat
• Stator
• List of common oscillators

External links

• Rotor at the Life Lexicon