The Ma-Trudinger-Wang curvature for natural mechanical actions (Q532563)

The Ma-Trudinger-Wang curvature [\textit{X.-N. Ma, N. S. Trudinger} and \textit{X.-J. Wang}, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 177, No. 2, 151--183 (2005; Zbl 1072.49035)], or cross-curvature, is an object arising in the regularity theory of optimal transportation. In the paper under review the authors show that, if the transportation cost is derived from a Hamiltonian action, then its cross-curvature can be expressed in terms of the associated Jacobi fields. Using this expression, they prove that the least action corresponding to a harmonic oscillator has zero cross-curvature, and in particular satisfies the necessary and sufficient condition (A3w) for the continuity of optimal maps. Moreover, gentle perturbations of the free action by a potential are studied, deducing conditions on the potential which guarantee either that the corresponding cost satisfies the more restrictive condition (A3s) of Ma, Trudinger and Wang, or in some cases has positive cross-curvature. In particular, the quartic potential of the anharmonic oscillator satisfies (A3s) in the perturbative regime.