Monotonicity of the dynamical activity

Abstract: The Donsker-Varadhan rate function for occupation-time fluctuations has been seen numerically to exhibit monotone return to stationary nonequilibrium [Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 010601 (2011)]. That rate function is related to dynamical activity and, except under detailed balance, it does not derive from the relative entropy for which the monotonicity in time is well understood. We give a rigorous argument that the Donsker-Varadhan function is indeed monotone under the Markov evolution at large enough times with respect to the relaxation time, provided that a "normal linear-response" condition is satisfied.