Weizmann Institute of Science
September 2025
Rotem Assouline
Advisor: Prof. Bo'az Klartag
Prelude: The Brunn-Minkowski inequality
\(A,B \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n\) , \(0 \le \lambda \le 1\)  .
\[(1-\lambda) A + \lambda B : = \left\{(1-\lambda)a + \lambda b \, \mid \, a \in A, \, b \in B\right\}.\]Theorem (Brunn-Minkowski) :
For every \(A,B \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n\) Borel, nonempty and every \(0 \le \lambda \le 1\) , \[\mathrm{Vol}((1-\lambda) A + \lambda B)^{1/n} \ge (1-\lambda)\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(A)^{1/n} + \lambda\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(B)^{1/n}.\]Replace \( \mathrm{Vol} \) with \[ \mu = e^{-\psi}\mathrm{Vol}. \]
Using a linear structure
Using a metric
Using a principle of least action?
Part 1: Lagrangians
A Lagrangian \(L\) on a manifold \(M\) is a smooth function on the tangent bundle \(TM\). (strongly convex, superlinear)
🔮 A Lagrangian assigns a value to each position and velocity.
The action of a curve \(\gamma:[0,T]\to M \)   is: \[\mathrm{A}(\gamma) : = \int_0^T L(\dot\gamma(t))dt.\]
A minimizing extremal of \(L\) is a curve which minimizes the action \(\mathrm{A}\) among all curves with the same endpoints. Extremals are solutions to the Euler-Lagrange equation.
More generally: \[ L = g/2 - V,\] where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric and \(V\) is a function.
\[(\mathrm{E-L}) \qquad \nabla_{\dot\gamma}\dot\gamma = -\nabla V.\]
\[(\mathrm{E-L}) \qquad \nabla_{\dot\gamma}\dot\gamma = \mathrm{Y}v, \quad \text{where } \left\langle\mathrm{Y}\,\cdot\,, \,\cdot \, \right\rangle=d\eta.\]
The Hamiltonian is the Fenchel conjugate of the Lagrangian: \[H(p) : = \sup_{v \in T_xM}p(v) - L(v), \quad p\in T^*_xM,\,\,x \in M.\]
The supremum is achieved at \(\mathcal{L}p\), where \(\mathcal{L} : T^*M \to TM\) is the Legendre transform associated to \(L\).
A curve is an extremal if and only if it is the projection to \(M\) of an integral curve of the Hamiltonian flow \(\Phi^H\) on \(T^*M\).
The energy is the function \(E : = H \circ \mathcal{L}^{-1}\)   on \(TM\). If \(\gamma\) is a minimizing extremal then \(E(\dot\gamma)\equiv 0\) .
🔮 A Lagrangian gives rise to notions of energy and momentum; energy is conserved along extremals.
Given a smooth function \(u\) and a measure \(\mu\) with a smooth density on \(M\), we set \[\nabla u : = \mathcal{L}du \qquad \text{ and } \qquad \mathbf{L} u : = \mathrm{div}_\mu(\nabla u)\] (typically nonlinear in \(u\)).
🔮 With a Lagrangian and a reference measure, we have notions of gradient and Laplacian.
The Hamilton-Jacobi equation is \[H(du) = 0.\] If \(u\) is a \(C^2\) solution to the H-J equation, then the integral curves of \(\nabla u\) are zero-energy extremals.
Part 2: Optimal Transport
\((\mathcal X_0,\mu_0),(\mathcal X_1,\mu_1)\) - probability spaces.
\(\mathrm{c}: \mathcal{X}_0 \times \mathcal{X}_1 \to \mathbb{R}\) - cost function.
The optimal transport (Monge-Kantorovich) problem is the problem of finding a map \(T:\mathcal{X}_0\to\mathcal{X}_1\)   minimizing \[ \int_{\mathcal X_0} \mathrm{c}(x_0,T(x_0)) d\mu_0(x_0)\] among all maps pushing forward \(\mu_0\) to \(\mu_1\).
Such \(T\) is called an optimal transport map .
🔮 Optimal transport seeks the most cost-efficient way to redistribute mass, goods, etc. from one configuration to another.
The function \(\mathrm{c}\) satisfies the triangle inequality, but may:
attain negative values
|
be asymmetric
|
not grow linearly along extremals
|
Theorem (........, Bernard-Buffoni '05, Fathi-Figalli '07): Under classical assumptions on the Lagrangian \(L\), for every pair \(\mu_0,\mu_1\) of absolutely-continuous, compactly supported probability measures on \(M\), there exists an optimal transport map \(T\) from \(\mu_0\) to \(\mu_1\).
In fact, there exists a family \(\{T_\lambda\}_{0 \le \lambda \le 1}\)   of maps such that:
The family \(\{\mu_\lambda\}_{0 \le \lambda \le 1}\)   of probability measures is called a displacement interpolation between \(\mu_0\) and \(\mu_1\).
We can solve OT for costs arising from reasonable Lagrangians.
Part 3: Ricci curvature
If \(V \) is a vector field such that \[\nabla_VV = 0, \qquad V\vert_x = v \qquad \text{ and } \qquad \nabla V\vert_x = 0,\] then \(V\mathrm{div} V\vert_x = -\mathrm{Ric}(v)\) .
If \(V = \nabla u\) for a function \(u\) then \((d\Delta u)(\nabla u)\vert_x = -\mathrm{Ric}(v)\).
🔮 If we take a small object and let it flow along "parallel" geodesics in the direction \(v\), then the second (logarithmic) derivative of the object's volume will be roughly \(-\mathrm{Ric}(v)\) .
McCann '97, Cordero-Eruasquin-McCann-Schmuckenschläger '01, von Renesse-Sturm '05, Lott-Villani '07:
\(\mathrm{Ric}_g \ge 0 \iff \) displacement convexity: for every \(L^2\) displacement interpolation \(\mu_\lambda = f_\lambda\mathrm{Vol}_g\), \[\mathrm{Ent}[\mu_\lambda|\mathrm{Vol}_g]:=\int f_\lambda d\mu_\lambda, \quad \text{is convex in } \lambda.\]🔮 In nonnegative Ricci curvature, the interpolating measures in the displacement interpolation (with squared distance cost) are more "spread out" than the measures at the endpoints.
\(L^1\) localization (needle decomposition):
Given the above data, we may construct:
(Grifone '72, Foulon '86, Agrachev & Gamkrelidze '97, Lee '13)
Theorem (A. '25): Let \(N \in [n,\infty]\) . The following are equivalent:
\[ \mathrm{S}_N[\mu_0|\mu] := -\int_M f_0^{-1/N} \, d\mu_0 \quad (1 \lt N \lt \infty) \quad \text{and} \quad \mathrm{S}_{\infty}[\mu_0|\mu] := \int_M \log f_0 \, d\mu_0. \]
\[ \mathcal{P}_1(L):= \left\{ \begin{array}{c} \text{Absolutely continuous Borel probability measures \(\mu_0\) on \(M\)}\\ \text{such that \(\int(|\mathrm{c}(x_0,\cdot)|+|\mathrm{c}(\cdot,x_0)|)d\mu_0 \lt \infty\) for some \(x_0 \in M\)} \end{array} \right\}. \]
For the many-body Lagrangian, \(\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mathrm{Vol},\infty} \ge 0\).
Theorem (A. '25): Let \(N \in [n,\infty]\) , let \(A_0,A_1 \subseteq M\) be Borel sets of positive measure and let \(0 \le \lambda \le 1 \) . Set \[ A_\lambda : = \left\{\gamma(\lambda \ell) \, \bigg\vert \, \begin{array}{c} \gamma:[0,\ell] \to M \, \, \text{ is a minimizing extremal,} \\ \gamma(0) \in A_0, \, \,\gamma(\ell) \in A_1\end{array}\right\}. \] If \(\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mu,N} \ge 0\) on \(E^{-1}(0)\), then \[ \mu(A_\lambda) \ge \begin{cases} \left((1-\lambda)\cdot\mu(A_0)^{1/N} + \lambda \cdot \mu(A_1)^{1/N}\right)^N & N \lt \infty\\ \mu(A_0)^{1-\lambda}\cdot\mu(A_1)^\lambda & N = \infty. \end{cases} \]
Let \(\mathbb{C}\mathbf{H}^d\) denote the complex hyperbolic space of complex dimension \(d\).
A horocycle is a unit-speed curve \(\gamma\) satisfying
\[
\nabla_{\dot\gamma}\dot\gamma = \mathbf{J}\dot\gamma,
\]
where \(\mathbf{J}\) is the complex structure.
For every \(x,y \in \mathbb{C}\mathbf{H}^d\) there exists a unique horocycle \(\gamma:[0,T]\to \mathbb{C}\mathbf{H}^d\) satisfying \(\gamma(0) = x\) and \(\gamma(T) = y\) ; it is contained in the unique complex geodesic (totally-geodesic copy of the hyperbolic plane) containing \(x\) and \(y\) .
Theorem (A.-Klartag '22, A. '25): Let \(A_0,A_1 \subseteq \mathbb{C}\mathbf{H}^d\) be Borel sets of positive measure and let \(0\le\lambda\le 1\) . Denote by \(A_\lambda\) the set of points of the form \(\gamma(\lambda \ell)\) , where \(\gamma:[0,\ell]\to \mathbb{C}\mathbf{H}^d\) is a horocycle satisfying \(\gamma(0) \in A_0\) and \(\gamma(\ell) \in A_1\) . \[\implies \qquad \mathrm{Vol}(A_\lambda)^{1/n} \ge (1-\lambda)\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(A_0)^{1/n} + \lambda\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(A_1)^{1/n}, \] where \(\mathrm{Vol}\) denotes the hyperbolic volume measure and \(n = 2d\) .
Let \(S^{2d+1} = \{z \in \mathbb{C}^{d+1}\, \mid \, |z|=1\}\) and let \(0 \le s \lt 1\). We call contact magnetic geodesics of strength \(s\) the minimizing extremals of the Lagrangian \[L(v) : = \frac{|v|_g^2 + 1}{2} - s\cdot \eta(v),\] where \(g\) is the round metric and \(\eta\) is the contact one-form \[\eta(v) = \mathrm{Re}\left\langle iz,v\right\rangle, \qquad v \in T_zS^{2d+1}, \,\, z \in S^{2d+1}.\]
Theorem (A. '25): Let $A_0,A_1 \subseteq S^{2d+1}$ be Borel sets of positive measure and let $0\le\lambda\le 1$ . Denote by $A_\lambda$ the set of points of the form $\gamma(\lambda \ell)$, where $\gamma:[0,\ell]\to S^{2d+1}$ is a unit-speed contact magnetic geodesic of strength $s$ satisfying $\gamma(0) \in A_0$ and $\gamma(\ell) \in A_1$. Then $$\mathrm{Vol}(A_\lambda)^{1/n} \ge (1-\lambda)\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(A_0)^{1/n} + \lambda\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(A_1)^{1/n},$$ where $\mathrm{Vol}$ denotes the spherical volume measure and $n = 2d+1$.
Theorem (A. '25):
Let \(N \in (-\infty,\infty]\setminus[0,n)\) and \(K \in \mathbb{R}\) and suppose that \(\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mu,N} \ge K\).
Let \(f : M \to \mathbb{R}\)   be a \(\mu\)-intergrable function satisfying
\[\int_Mfd\mu = 0, \qquad \qquad {\exists x_0\in M \quad \int_M\left(|\mathrm{c}(x_0,\cdot)| + |\mathrm{c}(\cdot,x_0)|\right)fd\mu < \infty.}\]
\(\implies \, \exists\) Borel measures \(\{\mu_\alpha\}_{\alpha \in \mathscr{A}}\) and a measure \(\nu\) on \(\mathscr{A}\) such that:
Part I: \(L^1\) optimal transport (Evans-Gangbo '99, Feldman-McCann '02, Caffarelli- Feldman-McCann '02. Also: Bernard-Buffoni '06, Figalli '07, Fathi-Figalli '10). Let \(u : M \to \mathbb{R}\) satisfy
\[ \int_M fu\, d\mu = \inf\left\{\int_M fv \, d\mu \quad \Big\vert \quad v : M \to \mathbb{R}, \,\, H(dv) \le 0\right\}. \]A transport ray of \(u\) is a maximal curve \(\gamma : I \to \mathbb{R}\) with the properties
\[ \dot\gamma \equiv \nabla u \qquad \text{ and } \qquad E(\dot\gamma) \equiv 0. \]Note that in this case
\[ H(du\vert_{\gamma(t)}) = E(\nabla u\vert_{\gamma(t)}) = E(\dot\gamma(t)) = 0 \qquad \text{ for all $t \in I$.} \]If \(x\) is not contained in such a curve then we say that \(\{x\}\) is a (degenerate) transport ray.
For every Borel set \(A\subseteq M\) which is a union of transport rays,
\[ \int_A f \,d\mu = 0 \qquad \text{(Mass balance)}. \]Let \(\{\gamma_\alpha:I_\alpha \to M\}_{\alpha\in\mathscr{A}}\) be the collection of transport rays. Make a change of variables:
\[ \begin{aligned} \mathscr{A}\times\mathbb{R} &\to M\\ (\alpha,t) &\mapsto \gamma_\alpha(t). \end{aligned} \]For every smooth \(\phi : M \to \mathbb{R}\),
\[ \int_M\phi\,d\mu = \int_{\mathscr{A}}\int_{I_\alpha}\phi(\gamma_\alpha(t))\rho(\alpha,t)dt\,d\alpha. \]How do we determine the ``Jacobian'' \(\rho\)? since we have freedom in choosing the measure on \(\mathscr{A}\), we only need to determine \(\rho\) up to a multiplicative constant depending on \(\alpha\). Thus it suffices to determine
\[ \partial_t\log\rho. \]But in this coordinate chart \(\partial/\partial t = \dot\gamma_\alpha = \nabla u\), so
\[ \partial_t\log\rho = \mathrm{div}_\mu(\partial / \partial t) = \mathrm{div}_\mu(\nabla u ) = \mathbf{L} u. \]For every \(\alpha \in \mathscr{A}\) Define a measure \(m_\alpha\) on the interval \(I_\alpha\) by
\[ dm_\alpha(t) = e^{-\psi_\alpha(t)}dt, \qquad \text{ where } \qquad \frac{d\psi_\alpha}{dt} = -\mathbf{L} u \circ\gamma_\alpha. \]Define a needle \(\mu_\alpha\) by
\[ \mu_\alpha = (\gamma_\alpha)_* m_\alpha. \]Then for every smooth \(\phi : M \to \mathbb{R}\),
\[ \begin{aligned} \int_M\phi\,d\mu & = \int_{\mathscr{A}}\int_{I_\alpha}\phi(\gamma_\alpha(t))e^{-\psi_\alpha(t)}dt\,d\nu(\alpha)\\ & = \int_{\mathscr{A}}\int\phi d\mu_\alpha\,d\nu(\alpha). \end{aligned} \]By mass balance, for \(\nu\)-almost every \(\alpha \in \mathscr{A}\),
\[ \int f\, d\mu_\alpha = 0. \]Part II: It remains to show that \(\nu\)-a.e needle \(\mu_\alpha\) satisfies \(\mathrm{CD}(K,N)\). Assume for simplicity \(K=0,N=\infty,\mu = \mathrm{Vol}_g\) and recall
\[ \mu_\alpha = (\gamma_\alpha)_*m_\alpha, \qquad dm_\alpha(t) = e^{-\psi_\alpha(t)}dt, \qquad \dot\psi_\alpha = - \mathbf{L} u\circ\gamma_\alpha. \]We need to prove that \(\ddot \psi_\alpha \ge 0\).
Since \(H(du) = 0\) on nondegenerate transport rays, in some sense, \(u\) solves the Hamilton-Jacobi equation \(H(du) = 0\) on the set of nondegenerate transport rays.
Therefore, by the Bochner inequality, loosely speaking, on the set of nondegenerate transport rays
\[ (d\mathbf{L} u)(\nabla u) \le 0. \]Hence
\[ \ddot\psi_\alpha = \frac{d}{dt}\left(-\mathbf{L} u\circ\gamma_\alpha\right) = -(d\mathbf{L} u)(\dot\gamma_\alpha) = -(d\mathbf{L} u)(\nabla u) \ge 0 \]for \(\nu\)-almost \(\alpha\) such that \(\gamma_\alpha\) is nondegenerate.
Theorem (A. '25): Let \(N \in [n,\infty]\) and \(K \in \mathbb{R}\). TFAE: