Kernel may refer to:

Computing

Kernel (operating system) The kernel is a computer program at the core of a computer's operating system and generally has complete control over everything in the system. It is the portion of the operating system code that is always resident in memory and facilitates in ...

, the central component of most operating systems *

Kernel (image processing) In image processing, a kernel, convolution matrix, or mask is a small matrix used for blurring, sharpening, embossing, edge detection, and more. This is accomplished by doing a convolution between the kernel and an image. Details The general ...

, a matrix used for image convolution *

Compute kernel In computing, a compute kernel is a routine compiled for high throughput accelerators (such as graphics processing units (GPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), separate from but used by a main pro ...

, in GPGPU programming *

Kernel method In machine learning, kernel machines are a class of algorithms for pattern analysis, whose best known member is the support-vector machine (SVM). The general task of pattern analysis is to find and study general types of relations (for example ...

, in machine learning * Kernelization, a technique for designing efficient algorithms ** Kernel, a routine that is executed in a vectorized loop, for example in

general-purpose computing on graphics processing units General-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU, or less often GPGP) is the use of a graphics processing unit (GPU), which typically handles computation only for computer graphics, to perform computation in applications traditiona ...

* KERNAL, the Commodore operating system

Mathematics

Objects

Kernel (algebra) In algebra, the kernel of a homomorphism (function that preserves the structure) is generally the inverse image of 0 (except for groups whose operation is denoted multiplicatively, where the kernel is the inverse image of 1). An important special ...

, a general concept that includes: **

Kernel (linear algebra) In mathematics, the kernel of a linear map, also known as the null space or nullspace, is the linear subspace of the domain of the map which is mapped to the zero vector. That is, given a linear map between two vector spaces and , the kernel o ...

or null space, a set of vectors mapped to the zero vector **

Kernel (category theory) In category theory and its applications to other branches of mathematics, kernels are a generalization of the kernels of group homomorphisms, the kernels of module homomorphisms and certain other kernels from algebra. Intuitively, the kernel of ...

, a generalization of the kernel of a homomorphism ** Kernel (set theory), an equivalence relation: partition by image under a function ** Difference kernel, a binary equalizer: the kernel of the difference of two functions

Functions

* Kernel (geometry), the set of points within a polygon from which the whole polygon boundary is visible *

Kernel (statistics) The term kernel is used in statistical analysis to refer to a window function. The term "kernel" has several distinct meanings in different branches of statistics. Bayesian statistics In statistics, especially in Bayesian statistics, the kern ...

, a weighting function used in kernel density estimation to estimate the probability density function of a random variable *

Integral kernel In mathematics, an integral transform maps a function from its original function space into another function space via integration, where some of the properties of the original function might be more easily characterized and manipulated than in ...

or kernel function, a function of two variables that defines an integral transform *

Heat kernel In the mathematical study of heat conduction and diffusion, a heat kernel is the fundamental solution to the heat equation on a specified domain with appropriate boundary conditions. It is also one of the main tools in the study of the spectr ...

, the fundamental solution to the heat equation on a specified domain *

Convolution kernel In mathematics (in particular, functional analysis), convolution is a mathematical operation on two functions ( and ) that produces a third function (f*g) that expresses how the shape of one is modified by the other. The term ''convolution'' ...

Stochastic kernel In probability theory, a Markov kernel (also known as a stochastic kernel or probability kernel) is a map that in the general theory of Markov processes plays the role that the transition matrix does in the theory of Markov processes with a finite ...

, the transition function of a stochastic process * Transition kernel, a generalization of a stochastic kernel * Pricing kernel, the stochastic discount factor used in mathematical finance *

Positive-definite kernel In operator theory, a branch of mathematics, a positive-definite kernel is a generalization of a positive-definite function or a positive-definite matrix. It was first introduced by James Mercer in the early 20th century, in the context of solving ...

, a generalization of a positive-definite matrix *

Kernel trick In machine learning, kernel machines are a class of algorithms for pattern analysis, whose best known member is the support-vector machine (SVM). The general task of pattern analysis is to find and study general types of relations (for exampl ...

, in statistics *

Reproducing kernel Hilbert space In functional analysis (a branch of mathematics), a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) is a Hilbert space of functions in which point evaluation is a continuous linear functional. Roughly speaking, this means that if two functions f and g in ...

Science

Seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...

, inside the nut of most plants or the fruitstone of drupes, especially: **

Apricot kernel An apricot kernel is the apricot seed located within the fruit endocarp, which forms a hard shell around the seed called the pyrena (stone or pit). The kernel contains amygdalin, a poisonous compound, in concentrations that vary between culti ...

Corn kernel Corn kernels are the fruits of corn (called maize in many countries). Maize is a grain, and the kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable or a source of starch. The kernel comprise endosperm, germ, pericarp, and tip cap. One ear of corn contai ...

** Palm kernel ** Wheat kernel *

Atomic nucleus The atomic nucleus is the small, dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom, discovered in 1911 by Ernest Rutherford based on the 1909 Geiger–Marsden gold foil experiment. After the discovery of the neutron ...

, the center of an atom

Companies

Kernel (agriculture company) Kernel Holding S.A. () is the largest producer of sunflower oil in Ukraine. It operates under the brands "Shchedry Dar", "Stozhar" and "Chumak Zolota", exports oils and grain worldwide, and provides storage for grains and seeds. It produces 8% of ...

, a Ukrainian producer of sunflower oil *

Kernel (neurotechnology company) Kernel is a technology company that creates brain-machine interfaces. It is a privately held company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company was founded in 2016 by Bryan Johnson. History Johnson founded Kernel in 2016 with a $54 ...

, a developer of neural interfaces * The Kernel Brewery, a craft brewery in London * ''

The Kernel ''The Daily Dot'' is a digital media company covering the culture of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Founded by Nicholas White in 2011, ''The Daily Dot'' is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The site, conceived as the Internet's "hometow ...

'', an Internet culture website, now part of ''The Daily Dot''

Other uses

* ''Kernel'' (EP), by the band Seam *

Kernel Fleck ''The Demonata'' is a Young adult fiction, young adult Horror fiction, horror/fantasy series by author Darren Shan. It deals with the world of demons. The series is told by three different protagonists: Grubbs Grady, Kernel Fleck, and Bec MacC ...

, a character in ''The Demonata'' series of books * Brigitte Kernel (born 1959), French journalist and writer