Dihedral symmetry in three dimensions

In geometry, dihedral symmetry in three dimensions is one of three infinite sequences of point groups in three dimensions which have a symmetry group that as an abstract group is a dihedral group Dihn (for n ≥ 2). There are 3 types of dihedral symmetry in three dimensions, each shown below in 3 notations: Schönflies notation, Coxeter notation, and orbifold notation. Chiral Dn, [n,2]+, (22n) of order 2n – dihedral symmetry or para-n-gonal group (abstract group: Dihn). Achiral Dnh, [n,2], (22n) of order 4n – prismatic symmetry or full ortho-n-gonal group (abstract group: Dihn × Z2). Dnd (or Dnv), [2n,2+], (2n) of order 4n – antiprismatic symmetry or full gyro-n-gonal group (abstract group: Dih2n). For a given n, all three have n-fold rotational symmetry about one axis (rotation by an angle of 360°/n does not change the object), and 2-fold rotational symmetry about a perpendicular axis, hence about n of those. For n = ∞, they correspond to three Frieze groups. Schönflies notation is used, with Coxeter notation in brackets, and orbifold notation in parentheses. The term horizontal (h) is used with respect to a vertical axis of rotation. In 2D, the symmetry group Dn includes reflections in lines. When the 2D plane is embedded horizontally in a 3D space, such a reflection can either be viewed as the restriction to that plane of a reflection through a vertical plane, or as the restriction to the plane of a rotation about the reflection line, by 180°. In 3D, the two operations are distinguished: the group Dn contains rotations only, not reflections. The other group is pyramidal symmetry Cnv of the same order, 2n. With reflection symmetry in a plane perpendicular to the n-fold rotation axis, we have Dnh, [n], (22n). Dnd (or Dnv), [2n,2+], (2n) has vertical mirror planes between the horizontal rotation axes, not through them. As a result, the vertical axis is a 2n-fold rotoreflection axis. Dnh is the symmetry group for a regular n-sided prism and also for a regular n-sided bipyramid.