The Wasserstein geometry of nonlinear σ models and the Hamilton–Perelman Ricci flow

Abstract

Nonlinear sigma models are quantum field theories describing, in the large deviation sense, random fluctuations of harmonic maps between a Riemann surface and a Riemannian manifold. Via their formal renormalization group analysis, they provide a framework for possible generalizations of the Hamilton–Perelman Ricci flow. By exploiting the heat kernel embedding introduced by Gigli and Mantegazza, we show that the Wasserstein geometry of the space of probability measures over Riemannian metric measure spaces provides a natural setting for discussing the relation between nonlinear sigma models and Ricci flow theory. In particular, we analyze the embedding of Ricci flow into a heat kernel renormalization group flow for dilatonic nonlinear sigma models, and characterize a non-trivial generalization of the Hamilton–Perelman version of the Ricci flow. We discuss in detail the monotonicity and gradient flow properties of this extended flow.