Trigonal (3m) Space Groups

Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
First-time Visitors: Please visit Site Map and Disclaimer. Use "Back" to return here.

To the right of each space group is a listing of coordinate points. These are the coordinates to which a general point (x,y,z) is transformed by the space group. Origins (called "equivalent points" in the International Tables), are additional points around which the points are transformed. For example, (0,0,0) refers to a corner of the unit cell, (1/2,1/2,1/2) to the center. All space groups have origin (0,0,0). For a space group with an additional origin (1/2,1/2,1/2), point (x,y,z) is also transformed to (1/2+x,1/2+y,1/2+z) and so on.

3-fold and 6-fold coordinates are tabulated with respect to axes intersecting at 60 degrees. In this oblique coordinate system, coordinates tend to be simple

156-p3m1.gif (3284 bytes)

156     P3m1

(+x,+y,+z); (-y,+x-y,+z); (+y-x,-x,+z);
(-y,-x,+z); (+x,+x-y,+z); (+y-x,+y,+z);

157-p31m.gif (2756 bytes)

157     P31m

(+x,+y,+z); (-y,+x-y,+z); (+y-x,-x,+z);
(+y,+x,+z); (-x,+y-x,+z); (+x-y,-y,+z);

158-p3c1.gif (3001 bytes)

158     P3c1

(+x,+y,+z); (-y,+x-y,+z); (+y-x,-x,+z);
(-y,-x,1/2+z); (+x,+x-y,1/2+z); (+y-x,+y,1/2+z);

159-p31c.gif (2492 bytes)

159     P31m

(+x,+y,+z); (-y,+x-y,+z); (+y-x,-x,+z);
(+y,+x,1/2+z); (-x,+y-x,1/2+z); (+x-y,-y,1/2+z);

Rhombohedra are cubes distorted along one of the three fold axes. Coordinates for rhombohedral symmetries can be described in terms of the rhombohedral cell edges or with respect to the threefold symmetry axis system. Coordinates here are given with respect to the threefold symmetry axis system.
160-r3m.gif (5082 bytes) 160      R3m

Origins (0,0,0); (1/3, 2/3, 2/3); (2/3, 1/3, 1/3);

(+x, +y, +z); (-y, +x-y, +z); (+y-x, -x, +z);
(-y, -x, +z); (+x, +x-y, +z); (+y-x, +y, +z);

161-r3c.gif (4732 bytes) 161 R3c

Origins (0,0,0); (1/3, 2/3, 2/3); (2/3, 1/3, 1/3);

(+x, +y, +z); (-y, +x-y, +z); (+y-x, -x, +z);
(-y, -x, 1/2+z); (+x, +x-y, 1/2+z);
(+y-x, +y, 1/2+z);

Return to Symmetry Index
Return to 3d-Space Groups Index
Return to Crustal Materials (Mineralogy-Petrology) Index

Return to Professor Dutch's Home Page

Created 13 October 1999, Last Update 15 December 2011

Not an official UW Green Bay site