Curvature-Dimension for Autonomous Lagrangians

Ph.D. Thesis Defense


Weizmann Institute of Science
September 2025


Rotem Assouline

Advisor: Prof. Bo'az Klartag

In this talk

Background

  • The Brunn-Minkowski inequality
  • Lagrangians
  • Optimal transport
  • Ricci curvature

Results

  • Displacement Convexity for Lagrangians
  • Horocyclic Brunn-Minkowski
  • Brunn-Minkowski for contact magnetic geodesics
  • Needle decomposition

Background

Prelude: The Brunn-Minkowski inequality

The Brunn-Minkowski inequality

\(A,B \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n\)  , \(0 \le \lambda \le 1\)  .

\[(1-\lambda) A + \lambda B : = \left\{(1-\lambda)a + \lambda b \, \mid \, a \in A, \, b \in B\right\}.\]
(λ = 1/2) A (1-λ)A + λB B

The Brunn-Minkowski inequality

Theorem (Brunn-Minkowski) :

For every \(A,B \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n\)   Borel, nonempty and every \(0 \le \lambda \le 1\)  , \[\mathrm{Vol}((1-\lambda) A + \lambda B)^{1/n} \ge (1-\lambda)\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(A)^{1/n} + \lambda\cdot\mathrm{Vol}(B)^{1/n}.\]
0 1/2 1 0 1 √​​π 2 λ Area1/2
Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging
Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging
Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging

Replace \( \mathrm{Vol} \) with \[ \mu = e^{-\psi}\mathrm{Vol}. \]

  • Measures \(\mu\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) satisfying Brunn-Minkowski can be characterized in terms of the function \(\psi\) (Borell '75, Brascamp-Lieb '76)
  • Bakry-Émery curvature-dimension (more on this later...)
Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging
  • The point \((1-\lambda)a + \lambda b\)   is the \(\lambda\)-midpoint of \(a\) and \(b\).
  • Makes sense on any Riemannian manifold.
  • Brunn-Minkowski characterizes lower Ricci curvature bounds (Cordero-Erausquin, McCann & Schmuckenschläger '01, Sturm '06, Magnabosco, Portinale, Rossi '22).
  • Metric measure spaces (Sturm '06, Cavalletti-Mondino '15).
  • Sub-Riemannian (Balogh, Kristály & Sipos '16, Barilari, Rizzi & Mondino '22).
  • Lorentzian (McCann '20, Cavalletti-Mondino '20).
Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging

Using a linear structure

Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging

Using a metric

Brunn - Minkowski
Volume
Averaging

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.

examples

  • \(L = T - V\), where \(T\) is kinetic energy (i.e. quadratic in the velocity) and \(V\) is potential energy.
    • Riemannian metrics: \(V = 0\). Action = length\(^2\) (for unit-speed curves), extremals = geodesics.
    • Mechanical Lagrangians: \(V\) is a potential depending only on position.
  • Electromagnetic Lagrangians: \(L = T + qA\cdot \mathrm{v}\)  .
  • Finsler metrics: 2-homogeneous in the velocity.
  • Isotropic:   \(\phi(F)\), where \(F\) is Riemannian/Finslerian.

The mechanical Lagrangian

\[L(x,v) = \frac{|v|^2}{2} - V(x).\]

More generally: \[ L = g/2 - V,\] where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric and \(V\) is a function.

\[(\mathrm{E-L}) \qquad \nabla_{\dot\gamma}\dot\gamma = -\nabla V.\]

The mechanical Lagrangian

The many-body Lagrangian

\[M : = \left\{x = (x_1,\dots,x_k) \in (\mathbb{R}^d)^k \,\, \mid \,\, x_i \ne x_j \, \, \forall \, i\ne j\right\}. \] \[L = \frac12\sum_{i=1}^km_i\sum_{\ell=1}^d(dx_i^\ell)^2 + \underbrace{\sum_{i=1}^k\sum_{j=i+1}^k\frac{Gm_im_j}{|x_i-x_j|}}_{U},\] \(G\) – gravitational constant, \(m_i\) – masses,
\(x_i = (x_i^1,\dots,x_i^d)\)   – position of the \(i\)-th body.

The many-body Lagrangian

The magnetic Lagrangian

\[L(x,v) = \frac{|v|^2}{2} + A(x,v),\] where \(A\) is a vector potential (linear in \(v\)). More generally: \[ L = g/2 + \eta\] where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric and \(\eta\) is a one-form.

\[(\mathrm{E-L}) \qquad \nabla_{\dot\gamma}\dot\gamma = \mathrm{Y}v, \quad \text{where } \left\langle\mathrm{Y}\,\cdot\,, \,\cdot \, \right\rangle=d\eta.\]

The magnetic Lagrangian

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.

Given a Lagrangian \(L\) on a manifold \(M\), we can set \(\mathcal X _0 = \mathcal X_1 = M\) and define a cost function \[\mathrm{c}(x_0,x_1) : = \inf_\gamma \mathrm{A}(\gamma), \qquad x_0,x_1 \in M,\] where the infimum is over all curves \(\gamma\) joining \(x_0\) to \(x_1\), and \(\mathrm{A}\) is the action.

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:

  • \(T_0 = \mathrm{Id}\)   and \(T_1\) is an optimal transport map from \(\mu_0\) to \(\mu_1\).
  • Each \(T_\lambda\) is an optimal transport map from \(\mu_0\)   to \[\mu_\lambda : = (T_\lambda)_*\mu_0.\]
  • \(\mu_0\)-a.e. curve \(\lambda\mapsto T_\lambda(x)\)   is a minimizing extremal.
  • There exists a viscosity subsolution \(u\) to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, and \(\ell : M \to [0,\infty)\)   such that \[T_\lambda = \pi\circ\Phi_{\lambda\ell}^H\circ du \qquad \text{\(\mu_0\) -a.e.}\]

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.

  • The solution describes not only where each piece of goods should end up, but also along what path it should be transported.
  • The resulting one-parameter family of maps (obtained by stopping the paths at intermediate times) are all optimal.
  • The measure \(\mu_0\) and \(\mu_1\) are thus joined be an "optimal path in the space of measures", which we call the displacement interpolation between \(\mu_0\) and \(\mu_1\).
  • The above solution can be read off from a "guiding function", and the transport trajectories are "gradient curves" of this function (in a Lagrangian sense) and are extremals.

Part 3: Ricci curvature

The Ricci curvature of a Riemannian manifold is a fiberwise quadratic form which is a trace of the Riemann Curvature tensor: \[\mathrm{Ric}(v) = \mathrm{tr}\left(w \mapsto R(w,v)v \right), \qquad v \in TM.\]

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 \(-\mathrm{Ric}(v)\) .

Example   0:   The Euclidean plane

Example   1:   The sphere

Example   -1:   The hyperbolic plane

Ricci curvature and optimal transport

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 \(\mu_\lambda = f_\lambda\mathrm{Vol}_g\), \[\mathrm{Ent}[\mu_\lambda|\mathrm{Vol}_g]:=\int f_\lambda d\mu_\lambda, \quad \text{is convex in } \lambda.\]
  • Arbitrary lower Ricci curvature and upper dimension bounds; arbitrary reference measures (weighted Ricci curvature) (C-M-S '01, von Renesse-Sturm '05, Lott-Villani '07).
  • Synthetic curvature-dimension bounds for mms's via optimal transport (Sturm '06, Lott-Villani '07).

Ricci curvature and optimal transport

🔮 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.

Ricci curvature and optimal transport

Application of optimal transport to prove geometric inequalities: Brunn-Minkowski / Prékopa–Leindler / Borell-Brascamp-Lieb, functional inequalities, volume growth estimates, topological implications, heat semigroup estimates...

Ricci curvature and optimal transport

\(L^1\) localization (needle decomposition):

  • Evans-Gangbo '00, Caffarelli-Feldman-McCann '01, Feldman-McCann '02 - The solution to the Monge-Kantorovich problem with cost d provides a disintegration of the manifold into disjoint 1d measures ("needles").
  • Klartag '14 - together with CD bounds, this can be used to prove geometric inequalities on weighted Riemannian manifolds (Gromov-Milman '87, Lovasz-Simonovits '93).
  • Finsler (Ohta '15), mms (Cavalletti-Mondino '15), Sub-Riemannian (Milman '19), Lorentzian (Braun-McCann '23, Cavalletti-Mondino '24).
  • What about Lagrangian?...

Results

data

  • A smooth manifold \(M^n\) with a Lagrangian \(L\) which is:
    • Smooth away from the zero section
    • Fiberwise strongly convex and superlinear
    • Supercritical (i.e. closed curves have positive action)
    and such that:
    • Every pair of points can be joined by a minimizing extremal.
    • For every compact set \(A\) there exists a compact set \(A'\) such that all minimizing extremals with endpoints in \(A\) are contained in \(A'\).
  • A measure \(\mu\) on \(M\) with a smooth, positive density.

Weighted Ricci curvature for Lagrangians

Given the above data, we may construct:

  • The Ricci curvature \(\mathrm{Ric}_L : TM\setminus\mathbf{0} \to \mathbb{R}\) , which coincides with the classical Ricci curvature for Riemannian and Finslerian manifolds.
  • The weighted Ricci curvature \(\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mu,N}\), which depends on \(\mu\) and on a parameter \(N \in (-\infty,\infty]\setminus \{1\}\)  , and which also coincides with the weighted (Bakry-Émery) Ricci curvature for weighted Riemannian/Finslerian manifolds.

(Grifone '72, Foulon '86, Agrachev & Gamkrelidze '97, Lee '13)

Main result: Displacement Convexity for Lagrangians

Theorem (A. '25): Let \(N \in [n,\infty]\) . The following are equivalent:

  • \(\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mu,N} \ge 0\)   on \(E^{-1}(0)\)  .
  • For every local solution \(u\) to the H-J equation \(H(du) = 0\)  , \[ (d\mathbf{L}u)(\nabla u) + \frac{(\mathbf{L}u)^2}{N-1} \le 0. \]
  • \(\forall \mu_0,\mu_1\in\mathcal{P}_1(L)\)   there exists a displacement interpolation \(\{\mu_\lambda\}_{0 \le \lambda \le 1}\)  between \(\mu_0\) and \(\mu_1\) such that \( \mathrm{S}_{N}[\mu_\lambda|\mu] \) is convex in \(\lambda\).

\[ \mathrm{S}_N[\mu_0|\mu] := -\int_M f_0^{-1/N} \, d\mu_0 \quad (1 \lt N \lt \infty) \quad \text{and} \quad \mathrm{S}_{\infty}[\mu_0|\mu] := \int_M \log f_0 \, d\mu_0. \]

\[ \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\}. \]

Main result: Displacement Convexity for Lagrangians

  • Analogous results for \(\mathrm{CD}(K,N)\)   with \(K \in \mathbb{R}\).
  • depends only on the dynamics on \(E^{-1}(0)\).
  • Autonomous Lagrangian, unrestricted time \(\rightarrow\) extends \(L^1\) d.c. (Cavalletti & Milman '16, Cavalletti, Gigli & Santarcangelo '20).
  • Consequences of curvature-dimension bounds:
    • Brunn-Minkowski
    • Prékopa–Leindler / Borell-Brascamp-Lieb
    • Bishop-Gromov
    • Bonnet-Myers
    • Isoperimetry
    • Poincaré / log-Sobolev
  • cf. Lee '13, Ohta '14, Schachter '17, Yang '22.

The mechanical Lagrangian

\[L = g/2 - U\] where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric and \(U\) is a smooth negative function. \[ \mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mathrm{Vol}_g,N} = \mathrm{Ric}_g + \Delta V\cdot g -\left(1+\frac{1}{N-n}\right)\cdot (dV)^2 \qquad \text{ on } E^{-1}(0),\] where \[V : = \frac12\log(-U).\]

For the many-body Lagrangian, \(\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mathrm{Vol},\infty} \ge 0\).

The magnetic Lagrangian

\[L = g/2 + 1/2 - \eta\] where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric and \(\eta\) is a one-form. \[\mathrm{Ric}_{L,\mathrm{Vol}_g,N} = \mathrm{Ric}_g - \mathrm{div}_g\mathrm{Y} + \frac14|\mathrm{Y}|_g^2 + \frac12 \, g\circ \mathrm{Y} \qquad \text{ on } \qquad E^{-1}(0),\] where the magnetic field \(\mathrm{Y}\) is defined by \[\left\langle\mathrm{Y}v,w\right\rangle = d\eta(v,w), \qquad v,w \in T_xM, \, \, x \in M.\]

The Brunn-Minkowski inequality for Lagrangians

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 \[ \mu(A_\lambda) \ge \begin{cases} \left((1-\lambda)\cdot\mu(A_0)^{1/N} + \lambda \cdot \mu(A_1)^{1/N}\right)^N & N \lt \infty\\ \mu(A_0)^{1-\lambda}\cdot\mu(A_1)^\lambda & N = \infty. \end{cases} \]

Example: horocyclic Brunn-Minkowski inequality

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 \(y\) .

Example: horocyclic Brunn-Minkowski inequality

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 \(n = 2d\) .

Example: Brunn-Minkowski for contact magnetic geodesics

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 \[\eta(v) = \mathrm{Re}\left\langle iz,v\right\rangle, \qquad v \in T_zS^{2d+1}, \,\, z \in S^{2d+1}.\]

  • Contact magnetic geodesics of strength $0$ are great circles.
  • Reeb trajectories are contact magnetic geodesics of strength $s$ for all \(0 \le s \lt 1\).

Example: Brunn-Minkowski for contact magnetic geodesics

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 $n = 2d+1$.

Key technical result: needle decomposition

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:

  • For \(\nu\)-almost every \(\alpha \in \mathscr{A}\), either \(\mu_\alpha\) is a Dirac measure, or \(\mu_\alpha = \left(\gamma_\alpha\right)_*m_\alpha\)  where \(m_\alpha\) is a measure on an interval \(I_\alpha \subseteq \mathbb{R}\)   satisfying \(\mathrm{CD}({K},N)\) with respect to the Euclidean metric on \(\mathbb{R}\), and \(\gamma_\alpha : I_\alpha \to M\)   is a minimizing extremal.
  • Disintegration of measure: The measure \(\mu\) disintegrates as \[\mu = \int_{\mathscr{A}}\mu_\alpha d\nu(\alpha).\]
  • Mass Balance: For \(\nu\)-almost every \(\alpha \in \mathscr{A}\), \[ \int_Mfd\mu_\alpha = 0. \]

Thank you!

Sketch of proof

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,

\[ \int_A f \,d\mu = 0 \qquad \text{(Mass balance)}. \]

Sketch of proof

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

\[ \partial_t\log\rho = \mathrm{div}_\mu(\partial / \partial t) = \mathrm{div}_\mu(\nabla u ) = \mathbf{L} u. \]

Sketch of proof

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 \(\alpha \in \mathscr{A}\),

\[ \int f\, d\mu_\alpha = 0. \]

Sketch of proof

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:

  1. \(\mathrm{Ric} _{L,\mu,N} \ge {K}\) on \(SM\).
  2. Every local solution \(u\) to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation \(H(du) = 0\) satisfies \[ (d\mathbf{L} u)(\nabla u) + \frac{(\mathbf{L} u)^2}{N-1} + {K} \le 0. \]
  3. For every \(\mu_0 = f_0\mu,\;\mu_1 = f_1\mu \in \mathcal{P}_1(L)\) there exists a displacement interpolation \(\mu_\lambda\) between \(\mu_0\) and \(\mu_1\) such that for every \(\lambda \in [0,1]\), \[ \small \mathrm{S}_{N}[\mu_\lambda|\mu] \le \begin{cases} \mathbb{E}\left[\tau_{1-\lambda}^{{K},{N}}\cdot \left(-f_0(\gamma(0))^{-1/{N}}\right) + \tau_{\lambda}^{{K},{N}}\cdot \left(-f_1(\gamma(1))^{-1/{N}}\right)\right] & {N} < \infty\\[9pt] (1-\lambda)\cdot\mathrm{S}_\infty[\mu_0|\mu] + \lambda\cdot\mathrm{S}_\infty[\mu_1|\mu] - \frac{K}{2}\cdot\lambda\cdot(1-\lambda)\cdot \mathbb{E} T^2 & {N} =\infty, \end{cases} \] where \(\gamma:[0,T] \to M\) is a random extremal such that \[\gamma(\lambda T)\sim \mu_\lambda \quad \text{ for all } \quad 0\le\lambda\le1.\]