Irreversible Circulation of Fluctuation and Entropy Production

Physical and chemical stochastic processes described by the master equation are investigated. In this paper, we examine the entropy production both for the master equation and for the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation. For the master equation, the exact expression of the entropy production was recently derived by Gaspard using the Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy ({\em J.Stat.Phys.}, \textbf{117} (2004), 599; [Errata; \textbf{126} (2006), 1109 ]). Although Gaspard's expression is derived from a stochastic consideration, it should be noted that Gaspard's expression conincides with the thermodynamical expression. For the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation, by using the detailed imbalance relation which appears in the derivation process of the fluctuation theorem through the Onsger-Machlup theory, the entropy production is expressed in terms of the {\em irreversible circulation of fluctuation}, which was proposed by Tomita and Tomita ({\em Prog.Theor.Phys.}, \textbf{51} (1974), 1731). However, this expression for the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation differs from that of the entropy production for the master equation. This discrepancy is due to the difference between the master equation and the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation, namely the former treats discrete events, but the latter equation is an approximation of the former one. In fact, in the latter equation, the original discrete events are smoothed out. To overcome this difficulty, we propose the {\em path weight principle}. By using this principle, the modified expression of the entropy production for the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation coincides with that of the master equation (i.e., the thermodynamical expression) for a simple chemical reaction system and a diffusion system.Comment: 17pages, no figures, to appear in Progreess of Theoretical Physics, Vol. 119, No.

The Steady State Distribution of the Master Equation

The steady states of the master equation are investigated. We give two expressions for the steady state distribution of the master equation a la the Zubarev-McLennan steady state distribution, i.e., the exact expression and an expression near equilibrium. The latter expression obtained is consistent with recent attempt of constructing steady state theormodynamics.Comment: 6 pages, No figures. A mistake was correcte

Classical Coulomb three-body problem in collinear eZe configuration

Classical dynamics of two-electron atom and ions H$^{-}$, He, Li$^{+}$, Be$^{2+}$,... in collinear eZe configuration is investigated. It is revealed that the mass ratio $\xi$ between necleus and electron plays an important role for dynamical behaviour of these systems. With the aid of analytical tool and numeircal computation, it is shown that thanks to large mass ratio $\xi$, classical dynamics of these systems is fully chaotic, probably hyperbolic. Experimental manifestation of this finding is also proposed.Comment: Largely rewritten. 21 pages. All figures are available in http://ace.phys.h.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~sano/3-body/index.htm

Kinetic theory of point vortex systems from the Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon hierarchy

Kinetic equations are derived from the Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon (BBGKY) hierarchy for point vortex systems in an infinite plane. As the level of approximation for the Landau equation, the collision term of the kinetic equation derived coincides with that by Chavanis ({\it Phys. Rev. E} {\bf 64}, 026309 (2001)). Furthermore, we derive a kinetic equation corresponding to the Balescu-Lenard equation for plasmas, using the theory of the Fredholm integral equation. For large $N$, this kinetic equation is reduced to the Landau equation above.Comment: 10 pages, No figures. To be published in Physical Review E, 76-