Glide reection

glide reection, so the even powers of the glide reection

form a translation group.
In the case of glide reection symmetry, the symmetry
group of an object contains a glide reection, and hence
the group generated by it. If that is all it contains, this
type is frieze group p11g.
Example pattern with this symmetry group:
Example of a glide reection: A composite of a reection across
a line and a translation parallel to the line of reection

Frieze group nr. 6 (glide-reections, translations and rotations) is generated by a glide reection and a rotation
about a point on the line of reection. It is isomorphic to
a semi-direct product of Z and C 2 .

A glide reection will map a set of left and right footprints into
each other

In 2-dimensional geometry, a glide reection (or transection) is a type of opposite isometry of the Euclidean Example pattern with this symmetry group:
plane: the composition of a reection in a line and a
translation along that line.

A single glide is represented as frieze group p11g. A glide

reection can be seen as a limiting rotoreection, where
the rotation becomes a translation. It can also be given a
Schoenies notation as S, Coxeter notation as [+ ,2+ ], A typical example of glide reection in everyday life
and orbifold notation as .
would be the track of footprints left in the sand by a person walking on a beach.

For any symmetry group containing some glide reection

symmetry, the translation vector of any glide reection
is one half of an element of the translation group. If the
translation vector of a glide reection is itself an element
of the translation group, then the corresponding glide reection symmetry reduces to a combination of reection
symmetry and translational symmetry.

Description

The combination of a reection in a line and a translation

in a perpendicular direction is a reection in a parallel
line. However, a glide reection cannot be reduced like
that. Thus the eect of a reection combined with any
translation is a glide reection, with as special case just a
reection. These are the two kinds of indirect isometries Glide reection symmetry with respect to two parallel
lines with the same translation implies that there is also
in 2D.
translational symmetry in the direction perpendicular to
For example, there is an isometry consisting of the re- these lines, with a translation distance which is twice the
ection on the x-axis, followed by translation of one unit distance between glide reection lines. This corresponds
parallel to it. In coordinates, it takes
to wallpaper group pg; with additional symmetry it occurs
also in pmg, pgg and p4g.
(x, y) (x + 1, y).
If there are also true reection lines in the same direction then they are evenly spaced between the glide reecIt xes a system of parallel lines.
tion lines. A glide reection line parallel to a true reecThe isometry group generated by just a glide reection is tion line already implies this situation. This corresponds
an innite cyclic group.[1]
to wallpaper group cm. The translational symmetry is
Combining two equal glide reections gives a pure trans- given by oblique translation vectors from one point on a
lation with a translation vector that is twice that of the true reection line to two points on the next, supporting
1

a rhombus with the true reection line as one of the diagonals. With additional symmetry it occurs also in cmm,
p3m1, p31m, p4m and p6m.
In 3D the glide reection is called a glide plane. It is a
reection in a plane combined with a translation parallel
to the plane.

Wallpaper groups

In the Euclidean plane 3 of 17 wallpaper groups require

glide reection generators. p2gg has orthogonal glide reections and 2-fold rotations. cm has parallel mirrors and
glides, and pg has parallel glides. (Glide reections are
shown below as dashed lines)

Glide reection in nature and

games

Glide symmetry can be observed in nature among certain

fossils of the Ediacara biota; the machaeridians; and certain palaeoscolecid worms.[2] It can also be seen in multiple extant groups of sea pens.[3]
Glide reection is common in Conways Game of Life.

See also
Screw axis, glide plane for the corresponding 3D
symmetry operations

References

[1] Martin, George E. (1982), Transformation Geometry: An

Introduction to Symmetry, Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics, Springer, p. 64, ISBN 9780387906362.
[2] Waggoner, B. M. (1996). Phylogenetic Hypotheses
of the Relationships of Arthropods to Precambrian and
Cambrian Problematic Fossil Taxa. Systematic Biology. 45 (2): 190222. doi:10.2307/2413615. JSTOR
2413615.
[3] Zubi, Teresa (2016-01-02). Octocorals (Stoloniferans,
soft corals, sea fans, gorgonians, sea pens) - Starsh
Photos - Achtstrahlige Korallen (Rhrenkorallen, Weichkorallen, Hornkoralllen, Seefedern, Fcherkorallen)".
starsh.ch. Retrieved 2016-09-08.

External links
Glide Reection at cut-the-knot

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Glide reection Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glide_reflection?oldid=745610648 Contributors: Patrick, Michael Hardy, Glenn,

Charles Matthews, Henrygb, Tosha, Tomruen, Wgw4, Alexb@cut-the-knot.com, Aholtman, Mathbot, CiaPan, Roboto de Ajvol, Dan
Harkless, SmackBot, Smith609, Ezrakilty, Cydebot, Thijs!bot, .anacondabot, David Eppstein, Katalaveno, Aboluay, ClueBot, Addbot,
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Dexbot, Bender the Bot and Anonymous: 8

7.2

Images

File:Frieze_example_p11g.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Frieze_example_p11g.png License:

GFDL Contributors: File:Frieze2b.png Original artist: AndrewKepert
File:Frieze_example_p2mg.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Frieze_example_p2mg.png License:
GFDL Contributors: File:Frieze2b.png Original artist: AndrewKepert
File:Glide_reflection.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Glide_reflection.svg License: CC0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Kelvinsong
File:Krok_6.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Krok_6.png License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors:
wasna praca, File:Happy feet 2.svg Original artist: Poznaniak, pozostali w pliku rdowym
File:SymBlend_cm.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/SymBlend_cm.svg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: http://www.morenaments.de/gallery/exampleDiagrams/ Original artist: Martin von Gagern
File:SymBlend_pg.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/SymBlend_pg.svg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: http://www.morenaments.de/gallery/exampleDiagrams/ Original artist: Martin von Gagern
File:SymBlend_pgg.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/SymBlend_pgg.svg License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Contributors: http://www.morenaments.de/gallery/exampleDiagrams/ Original artist: Martin von Gagern
File:Wallpaper_group_diagram_cm_rotated.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Wallpaper_group_
diagram_cm_rotated.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Derived from unrotated version Original artist: User:Tomruen
File:Wallpaper_group_diagram_pg.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Wallpaper_group_diagram_
pg.svg License: Public domain Contributors: generated by self written XSLT available from the category overview Original artist: Martin
von Gagern
File:Wallpaper_group_diagram_pgg.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Wallpaper_group_diagram_
pgg.svg License: Public domain Contributors: generated by self written XSLT available from the category overview Original artist: Martin
von Gagern

7.3

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