Site symmetry

Symétrie ponctuelle, symétrie du site (Fr); Punktsymmetrie, Lagesymmetrie (Ge); Simetria punctual (Sp); Simmetria del sito, simmetria puntuale (It); 席対称性 (Ja).

Definition

The site-symmetry group (often called point symmetry) of a point is the finite group formed by the set of all symmetry operations of the space group of the crystal that leave that point invariant. It is isomorphic to a (proper or improper) subgroup of the point group to which the space group under consideration belongs. In general, the origin is a point of highest site symmetry.

See also

• Section 1.4.4.2 of International Tables of Crystallography, Volume A, 6^th edition