Linear transformations of variance/covariance matrices

Abstract

Many applications in crystallography require the use of linear transformations on parameters and their standard uncertainties. While the transformation of the parameters is textbook knowledge, the transformation of the standard uncertainties is more complicated and needs the full variance/covariance matrix. For the transformation of second-rank tensors it is suggested that the 3 3 matrix is re-written into a 9 1 vector. The transformation of the corresponding variance/covariance matrix is then straightforward and easily implemented into computer software. This method is applied in the transformation of anisotropic displacement parameters, the calculation of equivalent isotropic displacement parameters, the comparison of refinements in different space-group settings and the calculation of standard uncertainties of eigenvalues.