Group invariance and Lp-bounded operators

The Hilbert and Riesz transforms can be characterized up to scalar as the translation invariant operators that satisfy additionally certain relative invariance of conformal transformation groups. In this article, we initiate a systematic study of translation invariant operators from group theoretic viewpoints, and formalize a geometric condition that characterizes specific multiplier operators uniquely up to scalar by means of relative invariance of affine subgroups. After providing some interesting examples of multiplier operators having “large symmetry”, we classify which of these examples can be extended to continuous operators on Lp(Rn) (1 < p < ∞).