diff --git a/src/rotation.hh b/src/rotation.hh
index c0bb26c7a2685a581f22832db93ce61c2bbfcc26..7c09a4e52f721803e1d40302561b4dba218a00e6 100644
--- a/src/rotation.hh
+++ b/src/rotation.hh
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ public:
     /** \brief Member of the corresponding Lie algebra.  This really is a skew-symmetric matrix */
     typedef Dune::FieldVector<T,3> TangentVector;
 
+    /** \brief A tangent vector as a vector in the surrounding coordinate space */
+    typedef Quaternion<T> EmbeddedTangentVector;
+
     /** \brief Default constructor creates the identity element */
     Rotation()
         : Quaternion<T>(0,0,0,1)