Optimal mass transport has emerged in the past three decades as an active field with wide-ranging connections to the calculus of variations, PDEs, and geometric analysis. This graduate-level introduction covers the field's theoretical foundation and key ideas in applications. By focusing on optimal mass transport problems in a Euclidean setting, the book is able to introduce concepts in a gradual, accessible way with minimal prerequisites, while remaining technically and conceptually complete. Working in a familiar context will help readers build geometric intuition quickly and give them a strong foundation in the subject. This book explores the relation between the Monge and Kantorovich transport problems, solving the former for both the linear transport cost (which is important in geometric applications) and for the quadratic transport cost (which is central in PDE applications), starting from the solution of the latter for arbitrary transport costs.

'Francesco Maggi's book is a detailed and extremely well written explanation of the fascinating theory of Monge-Kantorovich optimal mass transfer. I especially recommend Part IV's discussion of the 'linear' cost problem and its subtle mathematical resolution.' Lawrence C. Evans, University of California, Berkeley
'Over the last three decades, optimal transport has revolutionized the mathematical analysis of inequalities, differential equations, dynamical systems, and their applications to physics, economics, and computer science. By exposing the interplay between the discrete and Euclidean settings, Maggi's book makes this development uniquely accessible to advanced undergraduates and mathematical researchers with a minimum of prerequisites. It includes the first textbook accounts of the localization technique known as needle decomposition and its solution to Monge's centuries old cutting and filling problem (1781). This book will be an indispensable tool for advanced undergraduates and mathematical researchers alike.' Robert McCann, University of Toronto
'The author brings original and pedagogical ideas and illuminating remarks to his presentation, so his book is absolutely worth working with for teaching, solo learning, reading groups and research … Francesco Maggi's book can be recommended to anybody interested in the topic.' Nicolas Juillet, MathSciNet

Francesco Maggi is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include the calculus of variations, partial differential equations, and optimal mass transport. He is the author of Sets of Finite Perimeter and Geometric Variational Problems published by Cambridge University Press.