Past exam of the optimal transport and partial differential equations course of the University of Oxford / 2025 / 1 / e / Solution

Choose the bounded, nonnegative nondecreasing function $\tau$ from part (d), and defineThe function $h$ is convex and nondecreasing. For $0\le a\le 1$, the triangle inequality, monotonicity, and convexity giveHence $U$ is a convex function. By the gradient of a radial function formula and the fundamental theorem of calculus,for $x\ne 0$ whenever $h^{\prime }(|x|)=\tau (|x|)$. A monotone function has at most countably many discontinuities, so part (d) makes the exceptional radii $\tilde{\mu }$-null. The origin is also $\mu$-null. Define $\mathcal{T}(0)=0$; thus $\mathcal{T}=\nabla U$ $\mu$-almost everywhere.

For every $Q$ in the orthogonal group, $\mathcal{T}(Qx)=Q\mathcal{T}(x)$, including at zero. Consequently ${\mathcal{T}}_{\#}\mu$ is invariant under the orthogonal group. Moreover $|\mathcal{T}(x)|=\tau (|x|)$ away from the null origin, and composition of pushforward measures givesPart (c) therefore gives ${\mathcal{T}}_{\#}\mu =\nu$. The Knott–Smith optimality criterion makes a transport map given by a convex function's gradient optimal for the quadratic transport cost. Uniqueness from Brenier's theorem yieldsSince directions agree, this also identifies the optimal value: