EN
Let Ω be an open subset of ℝⁿ. Let L² = L²(Ω,dx) and H¹₀ = H¹₀(Ω) be the standard Lebesgue and Sobolev spaces of complex-valued functions. The aim of this paper is to study the group 𝔾 of invertible operators on H¹₀ which preserve the L²-inner product. When Ω is bounded and ∂Ω is smooth, this group acts as the intertwiner of the H¹₀ solutions of the non-homogeneous Helmholtz equation u - Δu = f, $u|_{∂Ω} = 0$. We show that 𝔾 is a real Banach-Lie group, whose Lie algebra is (i times) the space of symmetrizable operators. We discuss the spectrum of operators belonging to 𝔾 by means of examples. In particular, we give an example of an operator in 𝔾 whose spectrum is not contained in the unit circle. We also study the one-parameter subgroups of 𝔾. Curves of minimal length in 𝔾 are considered. We introduce the subgroups $𝔾_{p}: = 𝔾 ∩ (I - ℬ_{p}(H¹₀))$, where $ℬ_{p}(H₀¹)$ is the Schatten ideal of operators on H₀¹. An invariant (weak) Finsler metric is defined by the p-norm of the Schatten ideal of operators on L². We prove that any pair of operators $G₁, G₂ ∈ 𝔾_{p}$ can be joined by a minimal curve of the form $δ(t) = G₁ e^{itX}$, where X is a symmetrizable operator in $ℬ_{p}(H¹₀)$.