Alpha (disambiguation)

Alpha (Α or α) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Alpha or ALPHA may also refer to:

Computing and technology

• Alpha (programming language), an early database language
• Alpha compositing, an image processing technique
• Alpha release, alpha test, an early phase in software development
• AlphaServer, DEC now HP machine successor to the VAX
• AlphaStation, DEC now HP workstation successor to the VAX
• DEC Alpha, an instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)
• Minolta Alpha, the Japanese name for a series of SLR cameras known as Maxxum or Dynax elsewhere
• Sony α or Sony Alpha, a digital SLR series by Sony
• Wolfram Alpha, a search engine by Wolfram Research
• ASCII characters A-Z and a-z, as defined in RFC 4234

Mathematics and statistics

• Alpha (investment), a measurement of risk-adjusted performance
• Cronbach's alpha, a statistical measure of reliability
• α, the conventional symbol for angular eccentricity
• α, a symbol for navigational azimuth
• α, a symbol for one of the Feigenbaum constants describing a bifurcation diagram, in mathematics
• α, a symbol representing the probability of a type I error in statistics
• α is sometimes used as a placeholder for ordinal numbers

Science

• Alpha (ethology) (also "alpha male" and "alpha female"), the highest ranking individuals in a community of social animals
• ALPHA, a particle physics experiment at CERN
• Alpha carbon in organic chemistry
• ALPHA Collaboration, (Antihydrogen Laser PHysics Apparatus), a team of scientists
• Alpha helix, a common motif in the secondary structure of proteins
• Alpha particle, form of particle radiation
• Alpha taxonomy, the science of naming organisms
• Alpha waves, recorded by electroencephalography
• H-alpha, or H-α, an emission line created by hydrogen atoms
• α, a symbol for the angle of attack in aerodynamics
• α, a symbol for angular acceleration in physics
• α, a symbol for coefficient of thermal expansion in thermodynamics
• α, a symbol for the fine-structure constant in physics
• α, a symbol for thermal diffusivity in thermodynamics
• α, a symbol for common-base current gain of a transistor in electronics
• α, the isotope fractionation factor between two substances in geochemistry
• Alpha, the brightest star in a constellation according to the Bayer designation

Place names

Arctic Ocean

• Alpha Ridge, an undersea ridge

Australia

• Alpha, Queensland

United States

• Alpha, California
• Alpha, Illinois
• Alpha, Iowa
• Alpha, Kentucky
• Alpha, Michigan
• Alpha, Minnesota
• Alpha, New Jersey
• Alpha, Ohio
• Alpha, Oregon
• Alpha, Tennessee
• Alpha, Texas
• Alpha, Washington
• Alpha, Wisconsin
• Alpha Ridge, Alaska

Media and entertainment

Fictional characters and places

• Alpha (computer), a fictional computer in Mike Walker's radio play Alpha
• Alpha (planet) in Isaac Asimov's novel Foundation and Earth
• The Alpha Quadrant, one of the four Galactic Quadrants in the fictional Star Trek universe
• Alpha (DC Comics), a character from DC Comics
• Alpha (Marvel Comics), a character from Marvel Comics
• Alpha 4 (Power Rangers)/Alpha 5 (Power Rangers)/Alpha 6 (Power Rangers)/Alpha 7 (Power Rangers), a "series" of characters in Power Rangers television programs
• Alpha Legion, a Chaos Space Marines Legion from Warhammer 40,000
• Alpha the Ultimate Mutant, a character featured in Marvel Comics
• Moonbase Alpha, the primary setting for the television series Space: 1999

Gaming

• Alpha (Magic: The Gathering), the first Magic: The Gathering cards set
• Alpha (video game), a 1986 interactive fiction game by Square
• AlphaDream, a second-party video game developer for Nintendo
• Alpha Pokémon, Arceus from the Pokémon Universe

Literature and publications

• Alpha (Lombard), a Franco-Belgian comics series
• Alpha (magazine), Australian men's sport magazine
• Alpha Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA)
• Alpha Girl, a 2012 Image Comics comic book series by Jean-Paul Bonjour and Jeff Roenning
• Alpha Knightmare Frame, used by the "Irregulars" in the manga version of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
• The Alphas, a young-adult novel series by Lisi Harrison

Music

Artists and labels

• Alpha (band), a British electronic music group
• ALPHA 60, a Swedish alternative rock band
• Alpha, a classical record label now part of Outhere

Works

• Alpha (Alice Nine album), by the band Alice Nine
• Alpha (Asia album)
• Alpha (Sevendust album), by the band Sevendust
• Alpha, Selena album
• "Alpha", one of the tracks on the album Albedo 0.39, composed by Vangelis

Television

• Alpha TV, a Greek terrestrial channel
• Alphas, a Syfy television series
• "Alpha (The X-Files)," a sixth-season episode of The X-Files

Miscellaneous

• Alpha coefficient in finance, the risk-adjusted return of an investment
• Alpha Bank, a Greek bank, or their stock symbol ALPHA
• ALPHA (psychedelic), psychedelic drug alpha-ethyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzylamine
• Alpha (radio navigation), a Russian radio navigation system similar to the former Omega Navigation System
• Alpha 2000, a light aircraft built in New Zealand
• Alpha class submarine, a Russian fast attack nuclear submarine
• Alpha course, an introductory course in Christianity
• Alpha Group, a dedicated counter-terrorism unit that belonged to OSNAZ
• Alpha Industries, clothing company
• Alpha Secondary School, public high school in Burnaby, BC
• Alpha Video
• GM Alpha platform
• Kohler Alpha, glider
• Latin alpha (ɑ), also a symbol for open back unrounded vowel
• Space Station Alpha, the original name and unofficial call sign for the International Space Station
• Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)
• A grass also called esparto
• The first letter in the ICAO spelling alphabet
• Service "A", one of the uniforms of the United States Marine Corps

See also

• A, the letter
• Alpha value (disambiguation)