gamma

gamma

The way brightness is distributed across the intensity spectrum by a monitor, printer or scanner. Depending on the device, the gamma may have a significant effect on the way colors are perceived. Gamma is technically the relationship between the input voltage and resulting intensity of the output. A perfect linear device would have a gamma of 1.0 and be plotted on a graph called a "tone curve" as a straight line. Although a scanner is fairly linear, the tone curve of a monitor or printer is bent, yielding a gamma in the range of 1.8 to 2.6, which effects midrange tones. See gamma correction.

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gamma

1. the third letter in the Greek alphabet (Γ, γ), a consonant, transliterated as g. When double, it is transcribed and pronounced as ng

2. the third highest grade or mark, as in an examination

3. a unit of magnetic field strength equal to 10^--5 oersted. 1 gamma is equivalent to 0.795 775 × 10^--3 ampere per metre

4. Photog Television the numerical value of the slope of the characteristic curve of a photographic emulsion or television camera; a measure of the contrast reproduced in a photographic or television image

5. 

a. involving or relating to photons of very high energy

b. relating to one of two or more allotropes or crystal structures of a solid

c. relating to one of two or more isomeric forms of a chemical compound, esp one in which a group is attached to the carbon atom next but one to the atom to which the principal group is attached

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gamma [′gam·ə]

(chemistry)

The gamma position (the third carbon atom in an aliphatic carbon chain) on a chemical compound.

(electromagnetism)

A unit of magnetic field strength, equal to 10 microoersteds, or 0.00001 oersted.

(graphic arts)

A numerical indication of the degree of contrast in a television or photographic image; equal to the slope of the straight-line portion of the H and D curve for the emulsion or screen.

(mechanics)

A unit of mass equal to 10^-6gram or 10^-9kilogram.

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(language)

GAMMA - 1. A language for matrices and generation of mathematical programming reports. ["GAMMA 3.3 for MPS/MPSX, IBM System:/360", Bonnor & Moore Assocs (Mar 1975)]. 2. A high-level parallel language. [Research Directions in High-Level Parallel Languages, LeMetayer ed, Springer 1992].