Abstract
A theory of polycolor symmetry is derived from elementary considerations. It is shown that each color group is characterized by a symmetry group G, and a subgroup H which determines a homomorphism from G to a group Γ of color permutations. Various ways in which the properties of H can affect the color groups are discussed. The 32 crystallographic point groups are classified in a new way which facilitates the determination of subgroups and hence of color groups. Several treatments of color symmetry that have appeared in the literature are discussed. They seem to differ in their assumptions and conclusions; it is shown that most of these differences can be traced to implicit or explicit requirements which the authors have placed on the groups H or Γ.
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