Fluctuation theorem for black-body radiation

The fluctuation theorem is verified for black-body radiation, provided the bunching of photons is taken into account appropriately.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Stochastic thermodynamics for kinetic equations

Stochastic thermodynamics is formulated for variables that are odd under time reversal. The invariance under spatial rotation of the collision rates due to the isotropy of the heat bath is shown to be a crucial ingredient. An alternative detailed fluctuation theorem is derived, expressed solely in terms of forward statistics. It is illustrated for a linear kinetic equation with kangaroo rates

Stochastic energetics of a Brownian motor and refrigerator driven by non-uniform temperature

The energetics of a Brownian heat engine and heat pump driven by position dependent temperature, known as the B\"uttiker-Landauer heat engine and heat pump, is investigated by numerical simulations of the inertial Langevin equation. We identify parameter values for optimal performance of the heat engine and heat pump. Our results qualitatively differ from approaches based on the overdamped model. The behavior of the heat engine and heat pump, in the linear response regime is examined under finite time conditions and we find that the efficiency is lower than that of an endoreversible engine working under the same condition. Finally, we investigate the role of different potential and temperature profiles to enhance the efficiency of the system. Our simulations show that optimizing the potential and temperature profile leads only to a marginal enhancement of the system performance due to the large entropy production via the Brownian particle's kinetic energy.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figures (latest version with modified figures and text

Stochastically perturbed flows: Delayed and interrupted evolution

We present analytical expressions for the time-dependent and stationary probability distributions corresponding to a stochastically perturbed one-dimensional flow with critical points, in two physically relevant situations: delayed evolution, in which the flow alternates with a quiescent state in which the variate remains frozen at its current value for random intervals of time; and interrupted evolution, in which the variate is also re-set in the quiescent state to a random value drawn from a fixed distribution. In the former case, the effect of the delay upon the first passage time statistics is analyzed. In the latter case, the conditions under which an extended stationary distribution can exist as a consequence of the competition between an attractor in the flow and the random re-setting are examined. We elucidate the role of the normalization condition in eliminating the singularities arising from the unstable critical points of the flow, and present a number of representative examples. A simple formula is obtained for the stationary distribution and interpreted physically. A similar interpretation is also given for the known formula for the stationary distribution in a full-fledged dichotomous flow.Comment: 27 pages; no figures. Submitted to Stochastics and Dynamic