The cut metric for probability distributions

Abstract

Guided by the theory of graph limits, we investigate a variant of the cut metric for limit objects of sequences of discrete probability distributions. Apart from establishing basic results, we introduce a natural operation called {\em pinning} on the space of limit objects and show how this operation yields a canonical cut metric approximation to a given probability distribution akin to the weak regularity lemma for graphons. We also establish the cut metric continuity of basic operations such as taking product measures.