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Main Authors: Kalise, Dante, Moschen, Lucas M., Pavliotis, Grigorios A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.13588
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author Kalise, Dante
Moschen, Lucas M.
Pavliotis, Grigorios A.
author_facet Kalise, Dante
Moschen, Lucas M.
Pavliotis, Grigorios A.
contents For free energies of the form \[ F(μ) = E(μ) + σ\int_Ωμ\logμ\,dx, \quad σ> 0, \] we study the Wasserstein gradient flow, a continuity equation also known as mean-field Langevin dynamics, around a stationary state $\barμ$ on the flat torus. Our first result identifies the Wasserstein Hessian of $F$ at $\barμ$ with a self-adjoint operator with compact resolvent on a Hilbert space of potential variables, and shows that, up to the natural Riesz isometry, this operator generates the linearized gradient flow. This spectral description allows us to design a finite-rank feedback law, via an algebraic Riccati equation, that shifts the closed-loop Hessian spectrum above any prescribed threshold $δ> 0$. As a consequence, the nonlinear closed-loop flow converges locally exponentially to $\barμ$ with rate $δ$. Under an additional second-order remainder assumption on the first variation, the corresponding closed-loop energy is also locally strongly convex in chart coordinates. We illustrate the framework on the flat torus and discuss extensions to multi-species systems, moment-constrained Fokker-Planck equations, and closed Riemannian manifolds.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_13588
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Feedback Control and Local Convexification of Wasserstein Gradient Flows
Kalise, Dante
Moschen, Lucas M.
Pavliotis, Grigorios A.
Optimization and Control
Analysis of PDEs
Dynamical Systems
Functional Analysis
Primary: 35Q84, 49J20, 93D15. Secondary: 35B40, 49Q22
For free energies of the form \[ F(μ) = E(μ) + σ\int_Ωμ\logμ\,dx, \quad σ> 0, \] we study the Wasserstein gradient flow, a continuity equation also known as mean-field Langevin dynamics, around a stationary state $\barμ$ on the flat torus. Our first result identifies the Wasserstein Hessian of $F$ at $\barμ$ with a self-adjoint operator with compact resolvent on a Hilbert space of potential variables, and shows that, up to the natural Riesz isometry, this operator generates the linearized gradient flow. This spectral description allows us to design a finite-rank feedback law, via an algebraic Riccati equation, that shifts the closed-loop Hessian spectrum above any prescribed threshold $δ> 0$. As a consequence, the nonlinear closed-loop flow converges locally exponentially to $\barμ$ with rate $δ$. Under an additional second-order remainder assumption on the first variation, the corresponding closed-loop energy is also locally strongly convex in chart coordinates. We illustrate the framework on the flat torus and discuss extensions to multi-species systems, moment-constrained Fokker-Planck equations, and closed Riemannian manifolds.
title Feedback Control and Local Convexification of Wasserstein Gradient Flows
topic Optimization and Control
Analysis of PDEs
Dynamical Systems
Functional Analysis
Primary: 35Q84, 49J20, 93D15. Secondary: 35B40, 49Q22
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.13588