Section 1.2.1. General remarks

The performance of simple vector and matrix calculations, as well as elementary operations with groups, are nowadays common practice in crystallography, especially since computers and suitable programs have become widely available. The authors of this volume therefore assume that the reader has at least some practical experience with matrices and groups and their crystallographic applications. The explanations and definitions of the basic terms of linear algebra and group theory in these first sections of this introduction are accordingly short. Rather than replace an elementary textbook, these first sections aim to acquaint the reader with the method of presentation and the terminology that the authors have chosen for the tables and graphs of this volume. The concepts of groups, their subgroups, isomorphism, coset decomposition and conjugacy are considered to be essential for the use of the tables and for their practical application to crystal structures; for a deeper understanding the concept of normalizers is also necessary. Frequently, however, an `intuitive feeling' obtained by practical experience may replace a full comprehension of the mathematical meaning. From Section 1.2.6 onwards, the presentation will be more detailed because the subjects are more specialized (but mostly not more difficult) and are seldom found in textbooks.