Symmetric Nonlinear Cellular Automata as Algebraic References for Rule~30

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chan-López, E., Martín-Ruiz, A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866911647923175424
author Chan-López, E.
Martín-Ruiz, A.
author_facet Chan-López, E.
Martín-Ruiz, A.
contents A comparative algebraic framework for elementary cellular automata is developed, centered on the role of spatial symmetry. The primary object of study is Rule~22, the elementary cellular automaton with algebraic normal form $g(a,b,c)=a\oplus b\oplus c\oplus abc$ over $\mathbb{F}_2$, the simplest rule combining full $S_3$ symmetry with genuine nonlinearity. Three closed-form results are established: a formula for the support-set cardinality, $|S_m|=2^{\mathrm{popcount}(\lfloor m/2 \rfloor)}\cdot 3^{m\bmod 2}$; a two-step recursive construction of the support sets; and the continuous limit as a parabolic reaction--diffusion equation, $\partial_m u=u_{xx}+2u+u^3$. Rule~22 is then used as a symmetric reference for Rule~30. The symmetry-breaking deviation $ε(m)=|S_m^{(30)}|-|S_m^{(22)}|$ is empirically consistent with a power-law scaling of the form $m^b$ ($b\approx 1.11$), quantifying the cumulative effect of replacing the symmetric cubic $abc$ with the asymmetric quadratic $bc$. A mechanism for the apparent randomness of Rule~30's center column is identified through the left-permutive structure and asymmetric Boolean sensitivity profile.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_00165
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Symmetric Nonlinear Cellular Automata as Algebraic References for Rule~30
Chan-López, E.
Martín-Ruiz, A.
Mathematical Physics
Cellular Automata and Lattice Gases
A comparative algebraic framework for elementary cellular automata is developed, centered on the role of spatial symmetry. The primary object of study is Rule~22, the elementary cellular automaton with algebraic normal form $g(a,b,c)=a\oplus b\oplus c\oplus abc$ over $\mathbb{F}_2$, the simplest rule combining full $S_3$ symmetry with genuine nonlinearity. Three closed-form results are established: a formula for the support-set cardinality, $|S_m|=2^{\mathrm{popcount}(\lfloor m/2 \rfloor)}\cdot 3^{m\bmod 2}$; a two-step recursive construction of the support sets; and the continuous limit as a parabolic reaction--diffusion equation, $\partial_m u=u_{xx}+2u+u^3$. Rule~22 is then used as a symmetric reference for Rule~30. The symmetry-breaking deviation $ε(m)=|S_m^{(30)}|-|S_m^{(22)}|$ is empirically consistent with a power-law scaling of the form $m^b$ ($b\approx 1.11$), quantifying the cumulative effect of replacing the symmetric cubic $abc$ with the asymmetric quadratic $bc$. A mechanism for the apparent randomness of Rule~30's center column is identified through the left-permutive structure and asymmetric Boolean sensitivity profile.
title Symmetric Nonlinear Cellular Automata as Algebraic References for Rule~30
topic Mathematical Physics
Cellular Automata and Lattice Gases
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.00165