Transienten

Transienten is a German-language term used in technical and scientific contexts to denote brief, non-steady-state phenomena that occur during transitions from one state to another. The singular form is Transient. The term is borrowed from the English word transient, and in formal German writing the plural Transienten/Transienten may appear depending on style.

In physics and engineering, transients describe short-lived deviations that arise after a disturbance or input change. Common examples include switching transients in electrical circuits, startup or fault transients in power systems, and propagation transients in communication networks. Transients are typically analyzed to understand their duration, amplitude, and impact on system performance, and may require damping or suppression to avoid damage or distortion.

In computing and information technology, transient phenomena refer to temporary states or data that do not persist beyond a defined period. This can include transient files created during software operation, transient states in algorithms or state machines, and short-lived events in event-driven systems.

In chemistry and biology, transients denote short-lived species or signals that exist only briefly during reaction pathways or physiological processes, such as transient chemical intermediates or transient cellular responses.

The term is also used more generally to describe any phenomenon that exists only briefly during a transition, including social or ecological events that are not permanent features of a system. See also transient analysis and transient response.