Omega - The Symbol ω (minuscule Letter)

The Symbol ω (minuscule Letter)

The minuscule letter ω is used as a symbol:

• Biochemistry and chemistry:
  • Denotes the carbon atom furthest from the carboxyl group of a fatty acid.
  • In biochemistry, for one of the RNA Polymerase subunits.
  • In biochemistry, for the dihedral angle associated with the peptide group, involving the backbone atoms Cα-C'-N-Cα
  • In genomics, as a measure of evolution at the protein level (also denoted as d_N/d_S or K_a/K_s ratio).
• Physics:
  • angular velocity or angular frequency
  • Computational fluid dynamics: the specific turbulence dissipation rate
  • In circuit analysis and signal processing to represent natural frequency, related to frequency f by ω = 2πf
  • In astronomy, as a ranking of a star's brightness within a constellation
  • In astronomy (orbital mechanics), as designation of the argument of periapsis of an orbit
  • In particle physics to represent the omega meson
• Computer science:
  • In notation related to Big O notation, the asymptotically dominant nature of functions
  • In relational database theory to represent NULL, a missing or inapplicable value.
• Mathematics:
  • The first transfinite ordinal number, often identified with the set of natural numbers including 0 (sometimes written )
  • In set theory, the first uncountable ordinal number (more commonly written as ω₁)
  • The complex cube roots of 1
  • The Wright Omega function
  • A generic differential form
  • In number theory, ω(n) is the number of distinct prime divisors of n.
  • In number theory, an arithmetic function
  • In combinatory logic, the self-application combinator, (λ x. x x)
  • In mathematical/options finance, the elasticity of financial options
  • In analytical investment management, the tracking error of an investment manager
• Other:
  • Used in place of ん in Japanese typing shorthand.
  • In linguistics, the phonological word
  • In textual criticism, the archetype of a manuscript tradition
  • In sociology, used to refer to the lowest ranking member of a group