Transfer matrix analysis of one-dimensional majority cellular automata with thermal noise

in Journal of Physics. A, Mathematical and Theoretical (2014), 47(10), 105001-11

Thermal noise in a cellular automaton (CA) refers to a random perturbation in its function which eventually leads the automaton to an equilibrium state controlled by a temperature parameter. We study the ... [more ▼]

Thermal noise in a cellular automaton (CA) refers to a random perturbation in its function which eventually leads the automaton to an equilibrium state controlled by a temperature parameter. We study the one-dimensional majority-3 CA under this model of noise. Without noise, each cell in the automaton decides its next state by majority voting among itself and its left and right neighbour cells. Transfer matrix analysis shows that the automaton always reaches a state in which every cell is in one of its two states with probability 1/2 and thus cannot remember even one bit of information. Numerical experiments, however, support the possibility of reliable computation for a long but finite time. [less ▲]