Distribution-on-Distribution Regression via Optimal Transport Maps

Abstract: We present a framework for performing regression when both covariate and response are probability distributions on a compact interval $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}$. Our regression model is based on the theory of optimal transportation and links the conditional Fr\'echet mean of the response distribution to the covariate distribution via an optimal transport map. We define a Fr\'echet-least-squares estimator of this regression map, and establish its consistency and rate of convergence to the true map, under both full and partial observation of the regression pairs. Computation of the estimator is shown to reduce to an isotonic regression problem, and thus our regression model can be implemented with ease. We illustrate our methodology using real and simulated data.