Dependent conduit
A dependent conduit is a Herschel conduit in which the input Herschel is prevented from emitting its first natural glider. This is useful in cases where the previous conduit cannot survive a first natural glider emitted from its output Herschel. This term "dependent" is somewhat confusing, since it is actually the previous conduit that depends on the dependent conduit to suppress the problematic glider, or move and delay it.
Currently there are a few known FNG-suppressing mechanisms:
- In the R49, the input Herschel interacts with the bait block at T=-5.
- In the F166 and the Lx200, the input Herschel interacts with the bait block at T=-3 in its great-grandparent form, initiating a transparent block reaction. A later output glider is produced twelve half diagonals away from the FNG lane.
- In the periodic Lx84 and Lx68, the input Herschel interacts with the domino spark at T=-2.
- In the L122, the input Herschel interacts with catalysts at T=9.
Note that dependent conduits such as the F166, Lx200, and R49 do not actually depend on anything. They can be freely connected to any other conduits that fit, as long as the output Herschel evolves from its standard great-grandparent. The Fx158 is the only known case where a conduit's output Herschel has an alternate great-grandparent, which is incompatible with the dependent conduits' initial transparent block.
Conversely, an independent conduit is a Herschel conduit in which the input Herschel produces its first natural glider.