English

Shape spaces in terms of Wasserstein geometry

Functional Analysis 2025-10-24 v1

Abstract

For a Polish space XX, we define the Shape space Sp(X)\mathcal{S}_p(X) to be the Wasserstein space Wp(X)W_p(X) modulo the action of a subgroup GG of the isometry group ISO(X)ISO(X) of XX, where the action is given by the pushforward of measures. The Wasserstein distance can then naturally be transformed into a \emph{Shape distance} on Shape space if XX and the action of GG are proper. This is shown for example to be the case for complete connected Riemannian manifolds with GG being equipped with the compact-open topology. Before finally proposing a notion for tangent spaces on the Shape space S2(Rn)\mathcal{S}_2(\mathbb{R}^n), it is shown that Sp(X)\mathcal{S}_p(X) is Polish as well in case XX and the action of GG are indeed proper. Also, the metric geodesics in Sp(X)\mathcal{S}_p(X) are put in relation to the ones in Wp(X)W_p(X).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2510.19998,
  title  = {Shape spaces in terms of Wasserstein geometry},
  author = {Bernadette Lessel},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.19998},
  year   = {2025}
}