noun
damping ratio; decay constant
Technical term used in physics and engineering for the rate at which oscillations or signals diminish over time.
この回路の減衰定数は0.5です。
The damping ratio of this circuit is 0.5.
減衰定数が大きいほど、振動は早く収まります。
The larger the decay constant, the faster the oscillation dies out.
減衰係数 (attenuation coefficient) is a broader term for any damping factor, while 減衰定数 specifically refers to a constant ratio or decay constant in a system.
Compound of 減衰 (attenuation, damping) + 定数 (constant). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is a modern technical coinage.