Normalizer, divergence type and Patterson measure for discrete groups of the Gromov hyperbolic space

For a non-elementary discrete isometry group $G$ of divergence type acting on a proper geodesic $\delta$-hyperbolic space, we prove that its Patterson measure is quasi-invariant under the normalizer of $G$. As applications of this result, we have: (1) under a minor assumption, such a discrete group $G$ admits no proper conjugation, that is, if the conjugate of $G$ is contained in $G$, then it coincides with $G$; (2) the critical exponent of any non-elementary normal subgroup of $G$ is strictly greater than half of that for $G$.