Crystal Lab › The 80 layer groups › Orthorhombic
No. 38 p m a a
Orthorhombic layer group · 8 symmetry operations per cell · 11 Wyckoff positions · 2 settings
Symmetry elements and Wyckoff positions (interactive)
No. 38 p m a a
SettingLoading the group…
x = 0.10, y = 0.17, z = 0.08
- Number
- 38
- Hermann–Mauguin symbol
- p m a a
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Operations per cell
- 8
- General position
- 8k (site symmetry 1)
Wyckoff positions (standard setting)
| Multiplicity | Letter | Site symmetry |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | k | 1 |
| 4 | j | m.. |
| 4 | i | 2.. |
| 4 | h | 2.. |
| 4 | g | ..2 |
| 4 | f | ..2 |
| 4 | e | .2. |
| 2 | d | 222 |
| 2 | c | 222 |
| 2 | b | 2/m.. |
| 2 | a | 2/m.. |
How to read it
- Each symmetry element drawn in the cell is worked out from the group’s operations: rotation and screw axes as lines (arrow = direction; dashed = screw), mirror and glide planes as sheets (dashed outline = glide), inversion centres as dots; rotoinversion axes are dotted. Colours: 2-fold red, 3-fold green, 4-fold blue, 6-fold purple.
- The multiplicity is how many equivalent points an atom on that site generates in the conventional cell; the general position has the highest multiplicity, equal to the number of operations.
- Site symmetry is the point group that leaves that position fixed; a special position (lower multiplicity) sits on a symmetry element — press + on a row to see its atoms land on the drawn elements.