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Entropy production fluctuations encode collective behavior in active matter.

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This study establishes a general lower bound for entropy production in active matter systems. The findings link phase transitions to increased entropy production fluctuations and offer methods for controlling dissipation and pattern formation.

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Statistical Mechanics
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Active matter systems exhibit complex behaviors driven by internal energy consumption.
  • Understanding entropy production is crucial for characterizing non-equilibrium systems.
  • Correlations and fluctuations play key roles in the emergent properties of active matter.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To derive a general lower bound on entropy production distributions in interacting active matter.
  • To investigate the relationship between entropy production, correlations, and phase transitions.
  • To develop methods for controlling dissipation and pattern formation in active matter.

Main Methods:

  • Derivation of a general lower bound for entropy production.
  • Analysis of four canonical active matter models with varying correlation ranges.
  • Development of a theoretical framework for enhanced fluctuations near phase transitions.
  • Derivation of optimal control forces for dissipation tuning.

Main Results:

  • The derived bound is tight for systems with small, short-ranged correlations.
  • Weaknesses in the bound correlate with long-ranged correlations and enhanced entropy production fluctuations.
  • Phase transitions in active matter are linked to these enhanced fluctuations.
  • Optimal control strategies are identified for manipulating system dissipation and phase.

Conclusions:

  • A fundamental link exists between entropy production and pattern formation in active matter.
  • The study provides insights into controlling non-equilibrium processes and emergent behaviors.
  • The findings offer a theoretical basis for manipulating active matter systems through dissipation control.