In chemistry and crystallography, structures of identical atoms that are characterized by the same set of interatomic distances are defined as homometric structures. Homometric crystal structures produce identical diffraction patterns; therefore, they cannot be distinguished by a diffraction experiment.
Recently, a Monte Carlo algorithm was proposed to calculate the number of homometric structures corresponding to any given set of interatomic distances.
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Example of two homometric structures (top) formed by the convolution between two non-centrosymmetric structures (bottom) with different orientations.
Famous quotes containing the word structures:
“If there are people who feel that God wants them to change the structures of society, that is something between them and their God. We must serve him in whatever way we are called. I am called to help the individual; to love each poor person. Not to deal with institutions. I am in no position to judge.”
—Mother Teresa (b. 1910)