A convergence framework for optimal transport on the sphere

Abstract: We consider a PDE approach to numerically solving the optimal transportation problem on the sphere. We focus on both the traditional squared geodesic cost and a logarithmic cost, which arises in the reflector antenna design problem. At each point on the sphere, we replace the surface PDE with a generalized Monge-Amp`ere type equation posed on the tangent plane using normal coordinates. The resulting nonlinear PDE can then be approximated by any consistent, monotone scheme for generalized Monge-Amp`ere type equations on the plane. Existing techniques for proving convergence do not immediately apply because the PDE lacks both a comparison principle and a unique solution, which makes it difficult to produce a stable, well-posed scheme. By augmenting this discretization with an additional term that constrains the solution gradient, we obtain a strong form of stability. A modification of the Barles-Souganidis convergence framework then establishes convergence to the mean-zero solution of the original PDE.