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The Fluctuation Theorem for Stochastic Systems

Statistical Mechanics 2009-10-31 v2

Abstract

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 reliant on the reversibility or the determinism of the underlying dynamics. Numerical tests verify the theoretical result.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9901258,
  title  = {The Fluctuation Theorem for Stochastic Systems},
  author = {Debra J. Searles and Denis J. Evans},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9901258},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

Minor changes; typos corrected; accepted by Physical Review E