Changes: Lambda logo

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The Lambda logo, taken from the Lambda Complex logo.

The Lambda logo (λ) is a symbol found frequently in the Half-Life universe. It represents the Greek letter "Λ" (lowercase "λ"), and is a radioactive decay constant used in the half-life equation. "Λ" is the 11th letter in the Greek alphabet.

Appearances

Half-Life story arc

In the original Half-Life, Gordon Freeman's trademark HEV Suit was marked with a Lambda Logo on the chest, as were other HEV Suits. A section of Black Mesa dedicated to teleport research was also called the "Lambda Complex", and is identifiable by the Lambda logo at its entrance.

Half-Life 2 story arc

Gordon's Lambda logo on his suit and the work of the Lambda Complex became something of a legendary trademark symbol for the Resistance against the Combine, referring to the acts of Gordon Freeman during the Black Mesa Incident. They would spray-paint it near supply caches, and resistance bases and safehouses such as White Forest, Black Mesa East, and Kleiner's Lab. Resistance fighters also wear the symbol on their arm bands. They are also used to identify Resistance-friendly Combine weapons such as Hopper Mines and Sentry Turrets, seen by the spray-paint on them.

The Lambda logo can be seen on certain vehicles, such as the orange van that Dog throws to the Citadel in Episode One although any van-type vehicle, regardless of color, has a Lambda logo under the right tail-light. The lambda is also seen in graffiti and propaganda posters across City 17.

A huge Lambda logo can also be found on the rocket hatch and a smaller one on the button used to launch it at White Forest.

Trivia

The Lambda symbol is used in the half-life equation to represent the decay constant (i.e. the rate of radioactive decay in an element).
The Lambda is also used to denote the wavelength of a sound or light emission.
Lambda is used in some programming languages and parts of math to denote a function.
The Lambda logo can be found as an Easter Egg in both Left 4 Dead games. In Left 4 Dead Francis has it shaved into his hair. In Left 4 Dead 2, a Charger zombie is seen hanging from posts in a pose exactly like the lambda logo.
The Lambda symbol can be found on Dog's back.
The Lambda logo has the appearance of an arm holding a crowbar; The crowbar being a melee weapon frequently used in the game.

Gallery

External links

Black Mesa
Science Team	Walter Bennet • Wallace Breen • Barney Calhoun • Bernier (cut) • Caughley (cut) • Cook (cut) • Donaldson (cut) • Gina Cross • Gordon Freeman • Colette Green • Harold • Ivan the Space Biker (cut) • Lundeen (cut) • Richard Keller • Isaac Kleiner • Arne Magnusson • Mark (cut) • Mennet (cut) • Myers (cut) • Rosenberg • Eli Vance • Minor Black Mesa employees • Theodore (cut) • Walker (cut)
Security Force	Barney Calhoun • Otis Laurey • Miller
Other personnel	L.M.
Residents	Alyx Vance • Azian Vance
Technology	Anti-Mass Spectrometer • Armor Vest and Helmet • Battery • Black Mesa Announcement System • Charger • Cleansuit • Delivery cart • Emergency flare (cut) • Fire Extinguisher • HEV Suit • Holographic Assistant • Long Jump Module • Medkit • The Mesa Times • MTM 8 • Oxygen Bottles (cut) • Powerup Bottles (cut) • Retinal scanner • Satellite Delivery Rocket • Security Card (cut) • Teleportation • Weapon Box
Weapons	Barnacle Grapple • Crossbow • Ceiling Turret • Colt Python • Crowbar • Desert Eagle • Displacer Cannon • Glock 17 • Gluon Gun • Laser Tripmine • Mark IV Thermonuclear Device • Mk 2 Grenade • MP5 • Pipe Wrench • RPG • Satchel Charge • Spore Launcher • SPAS-12 • Tau Cannon
Locations	Advanced Biological Research Lab • Alien Quarantine Labs • Area 8 Topside Dormitories • Biological Waste Processing Plant • Black Mesa Air Control • Black Mesa desert • Black Mesa Medical Lab • Black Mesa Research Facility • Black Mesa Sectors: Sector A Training Facility / Sector B Coolant Reserve / Sector C Test Labs / Sector D Administration / Sector E Biodome Complex / Sector F Lambda Complex / Sector G Hydro Electric • Black Mesa South Access • Black Mesa Transit System • Freight Yard • Gamma Labs • Level 3 Dormitories • Section A-17 Prototype Labs • Topside Motorpool • Waste Processing Area 3
Transportation	Black Mesa SUV • Black Mesa Transit System • Black Mesa truck
Other	Black Mesa Incident • Black Mesa Personnel • Black Mesa Science Team • Black Mesa Security Force • Lambda logo

The Resistance
Leaders / key members	Barney Calhoun • Odessa Cubbage • Gordon Freeman • Isaac Kleiner • Arne Magnusson • Eli Maxwell (cut) • Helena Mossman (cut) • Judith Mossman • Odell (cut) • Russell • Vance (cut) • Alyx Vance • Eli Vance
Minor members	All-Knowing Vortigaunt • Animal (cut) • Consoling Couple • Dog • Father Grigori • Griggs • Johanson (cut) • Lamarr • Laszlo • Leon • Mambridge (cut) • MIRT • Nigel (cut) • Olga • Peters (cut) • Sandy • Sheckley • Skitch (cut) • Unidentified deaf character (cut) • Uriah • Victory Mine Vortigaunt
Weapons	Alyx's Gun • Brickbat (cut) • Colt Python • Crossbow • Crowbar • Flare Gun (cut) • Ice Axe (cut) • Magnusson Device • Molotov Cocktail (cut) • Pheropods • Physgun (cut) • RPG • Ravenholm traps • Tau Cannon • Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator • Socket Wrench (cut)
Vehicles	Airboat • Borealis (cut) • C-130 (cut) • Jet Ski (cut) • Jalopy (cut) • Mil Mi-8 • Muscle Car • Scout Car • Submarine (cut) • V-22 Osprey (cut)
Technology	Car battery • Communication • Antlion Detector • Dog • EMP Tool • Fire Extinguisher (cut) • Generator trailer • Drawbridge • Retinal scanner • Supply Crate • Teleportation • Television • Transponder • White Forest rocket
Locations	Black Mesa East • Bridge Point • Dock 137 • Kleiner's Lab • Lighthouse Point • New Little Odessa • Radio Tower • Ravenholm • Shorepoint Base • Station 1 • Station 6 • Station 7 • Station 8 • Station 9 • Station 12 • Station 21 • Underground Railroad • Victory Mine • Vortigaunt Camp • White Forest • The White Forest Inn • See cut locations
Other	Conscripts (cut) • Lambda logo • Vortigaunt • Vance (cut) • Citizen • Children • Lamarr

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ==Trivia==
 *The Lambda symbol is used in the [[Wikipedia:Radioactive decay#Half life|half-life]] equation to represent the decay constant (i.e. the rate of radioactive decay in an element).
-*The Lambda logo is also used to denote the wavelength of a sound or light emission.
+*The Lambda is also used to denote the wavelength of a sound or light emission.
 *Lambda is used in some programming languages and parts of math to denote a function.
 *The Lambda logo can be found as an Easter Egg in both ''Left 4 Dead'' games. In ''Left 4 Dead'' Francis has it shaved into his hair. In ''Left 4 Dead 2'', a Charger zombie is seen hanging from posts in a pose exactly like the lambda logo.