Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function
We identify macroscopic functioning arising during a thermodynamic system’s typical and atypical behaviors, thereby describing system operations over the entire set of fluctuations. We show how to use the information processing second law to determine functionality for atypical realizations and how...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Entropy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/26/11/894 |
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| author | James P. Crutchfield Cina Aghamohammadi |
| author_facet | James P. Crutchfield Cina Aghamohammadi |
| author_sort | James P. Crutchfield |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We identify macroscopic functioning arising during a thermodynamic system’s typical and atypical behaviors, thereby describing system operations over the entire set of fluctuations. We show how to use the information processing second law to determine functionality for atypical realizations and how to calculate the probability of distinct modalities occurring via the large-deviation rate function, extended to include highly correlated, memoryful environments and systems. Altogether, the results complete a theory of functional fluctuations for complex thermodynamic nanoscale systems operating over finite periods. In addition to constructing the distribution of functional modalities, one immediate consequence is a cautionary lesson: ascribing a single, unique functional modality to a thermodynamic system, especially one on the nanoscale, can be misleading, likely masking an array of simultaneous, parallel thermodynamic transformations that together may also be functional. In this way, functional fluctuation theory alters how we conceive of the operation of biological cellular processes, the goals of engineering design, and the robustness of evolutionary adaptation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3d848469c9d04fd4bff3c82a8310af0c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1099-4300 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Entropy |
| spelling | doaj-art-3d848469c9d04fd4bff3c82a8310af0c2024-11-26T18:02:55ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002024-10-01261189410.3390/e26110894Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic FunctionJames P. Crutchfield0Cina Aghamohammadi1Complexity Sciences Center and Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USAComplexity Sciences Center and Department of Physics, University of California at Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USAWe identify macroscopic functioning arising during a thermodynamic system’s typical and atypical behaviors, thereby describing system operations over the entire set of fluctuations. We show how to use the information processing second law to determine functionality for atypical realizations and how to calculate the probability of distinct modalities occurring via the large-deviation rate function, extended to include highly correlated, memoryful environments and systems. Altogether, the results complete a theory of functional fluctuations for complex thermodynamic nanoscale systems operating over finite periods. In addition to constructing the distribution of functional modalities, one immediate consequence is a cautionary lesson: ascribing a single, unique functional modality to a thermodynamic system, especially one on the nanoscale, can be misleading, likely masking an array of simultaneous, parallel thermodynamic transformations that together may also be functional. In this way, functional fluctuation theory alters how we conceive of the operation of biological cellular processes, the goals of engineering design, and the robustness of evolutionary adaptation.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/26/11/894large deviation theorythermodynamic formalismfluctuation spectrumentropy ratefluctuation relationsnonequilibrium steady state |
| spellingShingle | James P. Crutchfield Cina Aghamohammadi Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function Entropy large deviation theory thermodynamic formalism fluctuation spectrum entropy rate fluctuation relations nonequilibrium steady state |
| title | Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function |
| title_full | Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function |
| title_fullStr | Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function |
| title_full_unstemmed | Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function |
| title_short | Not All Fluctuations Are Created Equal: Spontaneous Variations in Thermodynamic Function |
| title_sort | not all fluctuations are created equal spontaneous variations in thermodynamic function |
| topic | large deviation theory thermodynamic formalism fluctuation spectrum entropy rate fluctuation relations nonequilibrium steady state |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/26/11/894 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jamespcrutchfield notallfluctuationsarecreatedequalspontaneousvariationsinthermodynamicfunction AT cinaaghamohammadi notallfluctuationsarecreatedequalspontaneousvariationsinthermodynamicfunction |