Limits of using early warning signals for preventing tipping

Tipping (or sudden transition) from a desirable state to an undesirable one can result in catastrophic changes, affecting natural environments, human societies, and economies. Early warning signals (EWSs) are developed to forewarn such an impending tipping. However, we observe that EWSs detect an impending tipping past bifurcation points when control parameters are varied fast. This questions the applicability of EWSs in preventing tipping. At the same time, the fast rate of change of parameter delays the actual tipping event, thus providing a borrowed stability that offers a window for prevention through swift action. We demonstrate instances of both successful and unsuccessful preventions in a paradigmatic thermoacoustic system. This work highlights the interplay of warning time, choice of prevention action, and rate of variation of parameters in EWS-based prevention of tipping.