A Unified Variational Framework for Optimal Transport with Lagrangian Costs

Hailiang Liu

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arXiv · 2607.15471

A Unified Variational Framework for Optimal Transport with Lagrangian Costs

Hailiang Liu

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Abstract

We investigate optimal transport distances induced by general Lagrangian action functionals. Extending the classical Monge - Kantorovich and Benamou - Brenier theories, we derive a unified variational framework that connects several equivalent formulations of the induced transport distance, including Lagrangian, Eulerian, convex optimization, Hamilton - Jacobi dual, and Hamiltonian flow formulations. Under standard convexity assumptions on the Lagrangian, we establish the equivalence of these formulations through variational arguments and convex duality. The resulting optimality system reveals a natural Hamiltonian structure on the Wasserstein space, providing a direct link between optimal transport, Hamiltonian dynamics, and optimal control. The proposed framework extends the classical quadratic-cost theory to general Lagrangian costs and offers a unified perspective for the analysis of transport metrics generated by action functionals.

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Hailiang Liu. 2026-07-16. A Unified Variational Framework for Optimal Transport with Lagrangian Costs. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.15471

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