celnumber

Celnumber is a term encountered in niche mathematical and computational contexts to denote a numeric value attached to a cell within a discrete structure, such as a cellular automaton, a grid-based simulation, or a voxel mesh. It is not a standardized concept, and its precise meaning varies by author or project. In broad terms, a celnumber serves as an identifier, state, or payload associated with a cell.

In common usage, a celnumber is modeled as an integer, often nonnegative, and may be used as an index, label, or state code. Some definitions treat a celnumber as a composite value, such as a pair or tuple that combines a cell identifier with auxiliary metadata like time step or layer. For others, it is the result of a function that maps cell coordinates, time, or neighborhood configuration to a single small integer.

Examples appear in discussions of cellular automata encoding schemes and grid-based data structures. A simple scheme might compute cel(x,y,t) = (ax + by + ct) mod N, yielding periodic state values. More complex variants may pack multiple fields into a single integer via bitwise encoding.

Applications include simulations, visualization, indexing, and compact storage of grid data. Because the term lacks a universal definition, readers should consult the specific context to interpret a celnumber’s range, encoding, and semantics.

Etymology: blends cell and number; first appears in informal technical writing in late 20th century.