Related papers: Nonequilibrium Time Reversibility with Maps and Wa…
A broken time-reversal symmetry, i.e. broken detailed balance, is central to non-equilibrium physics and is a prerequisite for life. However, it turns out to be quite challenging to unambiguously define and quantify time-reversal symmetry…
Time-asymmetric behavior as embodied in the second law of thermodynamics is observed in {\it individual macroscopic} systems. It can be understood as arising naturally from time-symmetric microscopic laws when account is taken of a) the…
In one-dimensional random walks, the waiting time for each direction transitions is the same, even in the presence of bias, as a consequence of the microscopic-reversibility. We study the symmetry breaking of forward/ backward transition…
Numerical solutions to Newton's equations of motion for chaotic self gravitating systems of more than 2 bodies are often regarded to be irreversible. This is due to the exponential growth of errors introduced by the integration scheme and…
Fundamental laws of physics are symmetric under time reversal ($T$) symmetry, but the $T$ symmetry is strongly broken in the macroscopic world. In this Perspective, I review $T$ symmetry breaking frameworks: \textit{second law of…
One of the important questions in statistical mechanics is how irreversibility (time's arrow) occurs when Newton equations of motion are time reversal invariant. One objection to irreversibility is based on Poincar\'e's recursion theorem: a…
A heuristic generalization of the Boltzmann-Gibbs microcanonical entropy is proposed, able to describe meta-equilibrium features and evolution of macroscopic systems. Despite its simple-minded derivation, such a function of "collective…
We propose a new approach concerning the introduction of time-irreversibility in statistical mechanics. It is based on a transition function defined in terms of path integral and verifying a time-irreversible equation. We show first how…
The observed general time-asymmetric behavior of macroscopic systems -- embodied in the second law of thermodynamics -- arises naturally from time-symmetric microscopic laws due to the great disparity between macro and micro-scales. More…
We show that simple diffusive systems, such as the Lorentz gas and multibaker maps are perfectly compatible with the laws of irreversible thermodynamics, despite the fact that the moving particles, or their equivalents, in these models do…
An overview is given of recent advances in the nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of quantum systems and, especially, of time-reversal symmetry relations that have been discovered in this context. The systems considered are driven out of…
For nonequilibrium steady states, we identify observables whose fluctuations satisfy a general symmetry and for which a new reciprocity relation can be shown. Unlike the situation in recently discussed fluctuation theorems, these…
Due to their relevance to geophysical systems, the investigation of multiscale systems through the lens of statistical mechanics has gained popularity in recent years. The aim of our work is the characterization of the nonequilibrium…
Time reversal symmetry is a fundamental property of many quantum mechanical systems. The relation between statistical physics and time reversal is subtle and not all statistical theories conserve this particular symmetry, most notably…
In 1979 Penrose hypothesized that the arrows of time are explained by the hypothesis that the fundamental laws are time irreversible. That is, our reversible laws, such as the standard model and general relativity are effective, and emerge…
The issue of how time reversible microscopic dynamics gives rise to macroscopic irreversible processes has been a recurrent issue in Physics since the time of Boltzmann whose ideas shaped, and essentially resolved, such an apparent…
A time-reversal symmetry relation is established for out-of-equilibrium dilute or rarefied gases described by the fluctuating Boltzmann equation. The relation is obtained from the associated coarse-grained master equation ruling the random…
We discuss the question of recurrence for persistent, or Newtonian, random walks in Z^2, i.e., random walks whose transition probabilities depend both on the walker's position and incoming direction. We use results by Toth and Schmidt-Conze…
We study the sum of first passage times along an arbitrary cycle made up of N>2 states of a small physical system. We show that, if the system is at thermodynamic equilibrium, this sum follows the same probability distribution regardless of…
An attempt is made to de-mystify the apparent "paradox" between microscopic time revsersibility and macroscopic time irreversibility. It is our common experience that a hot cup of coffee cools down to room temperature and it never…