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The International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) is an organisation devoted to the international promotion and coordination of the science of
crystallography Crystallography is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of atoms in crystalline solids. Crystallography is a fundamental subject in the fields of materials science and solid-state physics ( condensed matter physics). The wor ...
. The IUCr is a member of the International Council for Science (ICSU).


Objectives

The objectives of the IUCr are to promote international cooperation in
crystallography Crystallography is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of atoms in crystalline solids. Crystallography is a fundamental subject in the fields of materials science and solid-state physics ( condensed matter physics). The wor ...
and to contribute to all aspects of crystallography, to promote international publication of crystallographic research, to facilitate standardization of methods, units, nomenclatures and symbols, and to form a focus for the relations of crystallography to other sciences. The IUCr fulfils these objectives by publishing in print and electronically primary scientific journals through the ''
Acta Crystallographica ''Acta Crystallographica'' is a series of peer-reviewed scientific journals, with articles centred on crystallography, published by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr). Originally established in 1948 as a single journal called ''Act ...
'' journal series, as well as ''
Journal of Applied Crystallography The ''Journal of Applied Crystallography'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International Union of Crystallography. It was established in 1968 and covers the application of crystallography and cry ...
'', ''
Journal of Synchrotron Radiation The ''Journal of Synchrotron Radiation'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International Union of Crystallography. It was established in 1994 and covers research on synchrotron radiation and X-ray ...
'', ''
IUCrJ The International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) is an organisation devoted to the international promotion and coordination of the science of crystallography. The IUCr is a member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). Objectives T ...
'', the series of reference volumes ''International Tables for Crystallography'', distributing the quarterly ''IUCr Newsletter'', maintaining the online ''World Directory/Database of Crystallographers'', awarding the Ewald Prize and organising the triennial Congress and General Assembly.


History

In 1944 the yearly meeting of the X-ray Analysis Group (XRAG) of the UK
Institute of Physics The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a UK-based learned society and professional body that works to advance physics education, research and application. It was founded in 1874 and has a worldwide membership of over 20,000. The IOP is the Physic ...
was held in Oxford, and the distinguished German crystallographer Paul Peter Ewald, who then taught at
Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...
, was invited to give the evening lecture. In it he gave a historical survey of some of the stages in the evolution of
X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles ...
and ended with a strong plea for the formation of an international society or union which would represent, and unify publication for, the new science. This idea was followed up by the British crystallographers, and particularly by Sir
Lawrence Bragg Sir William Lawrence Bragg, (31 March 1890 – 1 July 1971) was an Australian-born British physicist and X-ray crystallographer, discoverer (1912) of Bragg's law of X-ray diffraction, which is basic for the determination of crystal struct ...
, the Chairman of XRAG. In June 1946, within a year of the termination of fighting in
WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he arranged for an international meeting of crystallographers in London which was attended by some 120 scientists from most of the allied countries. In that London meeting Ewald was elected Chairman of the Provisional International Crystallographic Committee, which put into action the decision to form the International Union of Crystallography. Sir
Lawrence Bragg Sir William Lawrence Bragg, (31 March 1890 – 1 July 1971) was an Australian-born British physicist and X-ray crystallographer, discoverer (1912) of Bragg's law of X-ray diffraction, which is basic for the determination of crystal struct ...
was the first formally elected President of this IUCr, with Ralph Walter Graystone Wyckoff"Ralph W. G. Wyckoff 1897-1994," ''Acta Crystallogr''. (1995). A51, 649-650. Accessed online at http://ww1.iucr.org/people/wyckoff.htm on 3/23/2010 and Arne Westgren as Vice-Presidents. Ewald was elected as 5th President of the IUCr, the 'international society or union' that he had originally conceived, in 1960.


IUCr Symmetry notation

The IUCr notation is the notation for the symmetry group adopted by the International Union of Crystallography in 1952. It identifies members of the
Wallpaper group A wallpaper is a mathematical object covering a whole Euclidean plane by repeating a motif indefinitely, in manner that certain isometries keep the drawing unchanged. To a given wallpaper there corresponds a group of such congruent transformati ...
with a 4 character name. First it has a ''P'' or ''C'' for ''primitive'' or ''centered'' groups. Groups are denoted by a number 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 for the highest order of symmetry. Groups can have one or two reflections, denoted as vertical mirrors first (horizontal reflection), and horizontal second (vertical reflection). A simple reflection is denoted by an ''m'' (mirror), and a glide-reflection is denoted by a ''g''. Place holder ''1'' denotes an orthogonal direction with no reflections.


See also

*''
Acta Crystallographica ''Acta Crystallographica'' is a series of peer-reviewed scientific journals, with articles centred on crystallography, published by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr). Originally established in 1948 as a single journal called ''Act ...
'' *
X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles ...
*
Crystallography Crystallography is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of atoms in crystalline solids. Crystallography is a fundamental subject in the fields of materials science and solid-state physics ( condensed matter physics). The wor ...
* International Year of Crystallography *
Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association The Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) is a non-profit trade association of open access journal and book publishers. Having started with an exclusive focus on open access journals, it has since expanded its activities to include ...
, of which IUCr is a member * British Crystallographic Association *
American Crystallographic Association The American Crystallographic Association, Inc. (ACA) is a non-profit, scientific organization for scientists who study the structure of matter via crystallographic methodologies. Since its founding in 1949 it has amassed over 2000 members worldwi ...
* German Crystallographic Society


References


External links


International Union of Crystallography Home Page
{{Authority control Members of the International Council for Science International scientific organizations Crystallography organizations Scientific organizations established in 1948 International organisations based in the United Kingdom Organisations based in Cheshire Members of the International Science Council