Work

Entropy production and coarse graining in Markov processes

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: We study the large time fluctuations of entropy production in Markov processes. In particular, we consider the effect of a coarse-graining procedure which decimates fast states with respect to a given time threshold. Our results provide strong evidence that entropy production is not directly affected by this decimation, provided that it does not entirely remove loops carrying a net probability current. After the study of some examples of random walks on simple graphs, we apply our analysis to a network model for the kinesin cycle, which is an important biomolecular motor. A tentative general theory of these facts, based on Schnakenberg's network theory, is proposed.

Source: Journal of Statistical Mechanics Theory and Experiment

DOI: 10.1088/1742-5468/2010/05/p05015

Authors: A Puglisi, S Pigolotti, L Rondoni, A Vulpiani

Institutions: Institute for Complex Systems, Sapienza University of Rome, Politecnico di Torino, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, FP7 Ideas: European Research Council

Awards: G5938321408, Low-probability, large fluctuations of the noise in detectors of gravitational waves