Dynamical activity universally bounds precision of response in Markovian nonequilibrium systems

Abstract

The exploration of far-from-equilibrium systems has been at the forefront of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, with a particular focus on understanding the fluctuations and response of thermodynamic systems to external perturbations. In this study, we introduce a universal response kinetic uncertainty relation, which provides a fundamental trade-off between the precision of response for generic observables and dynamical activity in Markovian nonequilibrium systems. We demonstrate the practical applicability and tightness of the derived bound through illustrative examples. Our results are applicable to a broad spectrum of Markov jump processes, ranging from currents to non-current variables, from steady states to time-dependent driving, from continuous time to discrete time, and including Maxwell’s demon or absolute irreversibility. Our findings not only enhance the theoretical foundation of stochastic thermodynamics but also may hold potential implications for far-from-equilibrium biochemical processes. The thermodynamics and kinetics of a nonequilibrium classical system fundamentally constrain the precision of an observable according to the thermodynamic and kinetic uncertainty relations. This study introduces a fundamental trade-off between the precision of response for various observables and the dynamical activity in far-from-equilibrium systems, with significant implications for stochastic thermodynamics and biochemical processes.