Time functions and $K$-causality between measures

Abstract

Employing the notion of a coupling between measures, drawn from the optimal transport theory, we study the extension of the Sorkin-Woolgar causal relation $K^+$ onto the space $\mathscr{P}(\mathcal{M})$ of Borel probability measures on a given spacetime $\mathcal{M}$. We show that Minguzzi's characterization of $K^+$ in terms of time functions possesses a "measure-theoretic" generalization. Moreover, we prove that the relation $K^+$ extended onto $\mathscr{P}(\mathcal{M})$ retains its property of antisymmetry for $\mathcal{M}$ stably causal.