Maximum entropy production as a selection principle for non-equilibrium steady states: an information theoretic derivation

Preprint
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We consider the macroscopic evolution of a non-equilibrium, open system over a time interval of length tau. An information theoretic derivation is given of the probability distribution of the underlying phase space trajectories. The result leads immediately to the Fluctuation Theorem in the case of microscopically reversible dynamics. In the limit as tau tends to infinity the result implies that non-equilibrium steady states are states of maximum entropy production, empirical evidence for which has been found in independent studies of the earth's climate and crystal growth morphology.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: