Symmetry element

Élément de symétrie (Fr); Elemento di simmetria (It); 対称要素 (Ja).

A symmetry element (of a given crystal structure or object) is defined as a concept with a double meaning, namely the combination of a geometric element with the set of symmetry operations having this geometric element in common (termed its element set). Together with the identity and the translations, for which a geometric element is not defined, the element sets cover all symmetry operations.

See also

Geometric element

References

Wolff, P. M. de, Billiet, Y., Donnay, J. D. H., Fischer, W., Galiulin, R. B., Glazer, A. M., Senechal, M., Shoemaker, D. P., Wondratschek, H., Hahn, Th., Wilson, A. J. C. & Abrahams, S. C. (1989). Definition of symmetry elements in space groups and point groups. Report of the International Union of Crystallography Ad-hoc Committee on the Nomenclature of Symmetry. Acta Cryst., A 45, 494−499.