Similarity isometries of point packings

Abstract

A linear isometry R of {\bb R}^{d} is called a similarity isometry of a lattice \Gamma\subseteq{\bb R}^{d} if there exists a positive real number β such that βRΓ is a sublattice of (finite index in) Γ. The set βRΓ is referred to as a similar sublattice of Γ. A (crystallographic) point packing generated by a lattice Γ is a union of Γ with finitely many shifted copies of Γ. In this study, the notion of similarity isometries is extended to point packings. A characterization for the similarity isometries of point packings is provided and the corresponding similar subpackings are identified. Planar examples are discussed, namely the 1 × 2 rectangular lattice and the hexagonal packing (or honeycomb lattice). Finally, similarity isometries of point packings about points different from the origin are considered by studying similarity isometries of shifted point packings. In particular, similarity isometries of a certain shifted hexagonal packing are computed and compared with those of the hexagonal packing.