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Research Article · Preprint Mathematics

Sharp convergence of heat-kernel Sinkhorn metrics

Scott Schubr

Luminary Oddities LLC

  • Mathematics
  • Geometry and Optimal Transport
Primary subject
Mathematics
Subject subfields
Geometry and Optimal Transport
Paper type
Research Article
Manuscript stage
Preprint
Manuscript
Archived
Edition
1 · Permanent link

Overview

Abstract

We study the Sinkhorn metric associated with the periodic heat kernel at a smooth strictly positive probability density. We prove convergence to the inverse weighted Laplacian in full L² operator norm at the optimal rate O(h). The sharper rate from Hʳ to L² is O(h¹⁺ʳᐟ²), 0 ≤ r ≤ 2; every exponent is optimal already at constant density. Parameter-differentiated estimates yield second-order convergence of smooth finite-dimensional pullback metrics and their intrinsic Christoffel symbols and curvature under nondegeneracy. A population normalization residual ρ gives projected tensor error O(h + ρ/h), with an obstruction at ρ comparable to h. We also give an explicit projected scale approximation whose tensor differs from the exact tensor by O(h²). The cost depends on the heat scale; fixed Euclidean squared-cost problems with boundaries are outside the scope.

Keywords Sinkhorn divergence · heat kernel · weighted Laplacian · operator convergence · Sobolev estimates · metric curvature

Scope of the work

Smooth strictly positive periodic probability densities in each fixed dimension, with an h-dependent periodic heat-kernel cost. Sharp full L² and Sobolev tensor convergence rates; O(h²) intrinsic geometry of smooth nondegenerate finite-dimensional density families; population normalization sensitivity with explicit projection. Fixed Euclidean-cost boundary problems, vanishing densities, empirical guarantees, dimension-uniform bounds and ambient infinite-dimensional curvature are outside the scope.

Reproduction notes

The complete publication package contains the exact seven-page paper, complete LaTeX source with embedded bibliography, reader/build instructions and SHA-256 checksums. The proofs are analytic and require no numerical experiment or internal review report.

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Author disclosures

AI tools assisted literature research, derivation, proof checking and manuscript preparation. This is an author-published preprint; internal AI scrutiny is not external human peer review.

A stable scholarly record

Cite this edition

Scott Schubr. (2026). Sharp convergence of heat-kernel Sinkhorn metrics (Version 1). Luminary Research Archive. https://research.luminaryoddities.com/sharp-convergence-of-heat-kernel-sinkhorn-metrics/v/1

BibTeX
@techreport{luminary_sharp_convergence_of_heat_kernel_sinkhorn_metrics_v1,
  title = {Sharp convergence of heat-kernel Sinkhorn metrics},
  author = {Scott Schubr},
  year = {2026},
  institution = {Luminary Research Archive},
  type = {Research Article},
  note = {Version 1},
  url = {https://research.luminaryoddities.com/sharp-convergence-of-heat-kernel-sinkhorn-metrics/v/1}
}

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