Riemannian metrics on convex sets with applications to Poincaré and log-Sobolev inequalities

Abstract

Given a probability measure $\mu$ supported on a convex subset $\Omega$ of Euclidean space $(\mathbb{R}^d,g_0)$, we are interested in obtaining Poincar\'e and log-Sobolev type inequalities on $(\Omega,g_0,\mu)$. To this end, we change the metric $g_0$ to a more general Riemannian one $g$, adapted in a certain sense to $\mu$, and perform our analysis on $(\Omega,g,\mu)$. The types of metrics we consider are Hessian metrics (intimately related to associated optimal-transport problems), product metrics (which are very useful when $\mu$ is unconditional, i.e. invariant under reflection with respect to the principle hyperplanes), and metrics conformal to the Euclidean one, which have not been previously explored in this context. Invoking on $(\Omega,g,\mu)$ tools such as Riemannian generalizations of the Brascamp--Lieb inequality and the Bakry--\'Emery criterion, and passing back to the original Euclidean metric, we obtain various weighted inequalities on $(\Omega,g_0,\mu)$: refined and entropic versions of the Brascamp--Lieb inequality, weighted Poincar\'e and log-Sobolev inequalities, Hardy-type inequalities, etc. Key to our analysis is the positivity of the associated Lichnerowicz--Bakry--\'Emery generalized Ricci curvature tensor, and the convexity of the manifold $(\Omega,g,\mu)$. In some cases, we can only ensure that the latter manifold is (generalized) mean-convex, resulting in additional boundary terms in our inequalities.