On the geometry of geodesics in discrete optimal transport.

We consider the space of probability measures on a discrete set X , endowed with a dynamical optimal transport metric. Given two probability measures supported in a subset Y ⊆ X , it is natural to ask whether they can be connected by a constant speed geodesic with support in Y at all times. Our main result answers this question affirmatively, under a suitable geometric condition on Y introduced in this paper. The proof relies on an extension result for subsolutions to discrete Hamilton-Jacobi equations, which is of independent interest.