A new approach is suggested for the study of geometric symmetries in general
relativity, leading to an invariant characterization of the evolutionary
behaviour for a class of Spatially Homogeneous (SH) vacuum and orthogonal
γ−law perfect fluid models. Exploiting the 1+3 orthonormal frame
formalism, we express the kinematical quantities of a generic symmetry using
expansion-normalized variables. In this way, a specific symmetry assumption
lead to geometric constraints that are combined with the associated
integrability conditions, coming from the existence of the symmetry and the
induced expansion-normalized form of the Einstein's Field Equations (EFE), to
give a close set of compatibility equations. By specializing to the case of a
\emph{Kinematic Conformal Symmetry} (KCS), which is regarded as the direct
generalization of the concept of self-similarity, we give the complete set of
consistency equations for the whole SH dynamical state space. An interesting
aspect of the analysis of the consistency equations is that, \emph{at least}
for class A models which are Locally Rotationally Symmetric or lying within the
invariant subset satisfying Nαα=0, a proper KCS \emph{always
exists} and reduces to a self-similarity of the first or second kind at the
asymptotic regimes, providing a way for the ``geometrization'' of the
intermediate epoch of SH models.Comment: Latex, 15 pages, no figures (uses iopart style/class files); added
one reference and minor corrections; (v3) improved and extended discussion;
minor corrections and several new references are added; to appear in Class.
Quantum Gra