Nonequilibrium irreversible thermodynamics constitute a meaningful point of view suitable to explore life with a rich paradigm. This analytical framework can be used to span the gap from molecular processes to plant function and shows great promise to create a holistic description of life. Since living organisms dissipate energy, exchange entropy and matter with their environment, they can be a...

where s,z(u) is the local-equilibrium entropy, T the local-equilibrium absolute temperature, q the heat flux, A, Some of the most basic questions in nonequilibrium thermodynamics are those concerning the fundamental thermodynamic concepts, namely, the definition and meaning of entropy and of absolute temperature out of equilibrium. Most of the nonequilibrium thermodynamic theories have assumed ...

The fluctuation theorem describes the probability ratio of observing trajectories that satisfy or violate the second law of thermodynamics. It has been proved in a number of different ways for thermostatted deterministic nonequilibrium systems. In the present paper we show that the fluctuation theorem is also valid for a class of stochastic nonequilibrium systems. The theorem is therefore not r...

Using computer simulations, we study metastability in a two-dimensional Ising ferromagnet relaxing toward a nonequilibrium steady state. The interplay between thermal and nonequilibrium fluctuations induces resonant and scale-invariant phenomena not observed in equilibrium. In particular, we measure noise-enhanced stability of the metastable state in a nonequilibrium environment. The limit of m...

In nonequilibrium thermodynamics macroscopic entropy creation plays an important role. Here we study, from various viewpoints, its relation with the phase space contraction, which has been recently proposed as an apparently alternative quantity.

The Fluctuation Theorem describes the probability ratio of observing trajectories that satisfy or violate the second law of thermodynamics. It has been proved in a number of different ways for thermostatted deterministic nonequilibrium systems. In the present paper we show that the Fluctuation Theorem is also valid for a class of stochastic nonequilibrium systems. The Theorem is therefore not r...

Large deviations from the behavior predicted by the Butler-Volmer equation of electrochemistry are accounted for using mesoscopic nonequilibrium thermodynamics. The nonequilibrium thermodynamic hypotheses are extended to include velocity space and cope with imperfect reactant transport leading to departures from Butler-Volmer behavior. This results in a modified Butler-Volmer equation in good a...

It is reviewed what can be considered as the present research trends in what regards to the construction of an ensemble formalism – Gibbs’ style – for the case of far-from-equilibrium systems. The main questions involved are presented accompanied with brief discussions. The construction of a nonequilibrium statistical operator is described and its applications commented, and, particularly, it i...

A Maxwell’s demon type “information engine” that extracts work from a bath is constructed from a microscopic Hamiltonian for the whole system including a subsystem, a thermal bath, and a nonequilibrium bath of phonons or photons that represents an information source or sink. The kinetics of the engine is calculated self-consistently from the state of the nonequilibrium bath, and the relation of...