Limit Profiles for Separation Distance

Abstract

This paper studies limit profiles for the separation distance. A limit profile records the limiting shape of the distance to stationarity inside the cutoff window, at times of the form $t_n+cw_n$. We start with two famous card shuffles, a general setup for inverse riffle shuffles and random transpositions, and we determine their separation distance limit profiles. We then develop a spectral comparison technique and study continuity properties in the style of [Nes24; Nes25], adapted to separation distance. The comparison method is illustrated through random transpositions, as well as random walks on product groups and the hypercube.