Thermodynamic Reversibility in Feedback Processes
Statistical Mechanics
2015-05-27 v2
Abstract
The sum of the average work dissipated plus the information gained during a thermodynamic process with discrete feedback must exceed zero. We demonstrate that the minimum value of zero is attained only by feedback-reversible processes that are indistinguishable from their time-reversal, thereby extending the notion of thermodynamic reversibility to feedback processes. In addition, we prove that in every realization of a feedback-reversible process the sum of the work dissipated and change in uncertainty is zero.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1104.0332,
title = {Thermodynamic Reversibility in Feedback Processes},
author = {Jordan M. Horowitz and Juan M. R. Parrondo},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1104.0332},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
6 pages, 4, figures, accepted in EPL, expanded discussion of thermodynamic reversibility