Entropy production of active particles formulated for underdamped dynamics

Area of Science:

• Statistical Mechanics
• Active Matter Physics
• Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics

Background:

• Active particles exhibit unique behaviors driven by internal energy sources.
• Understanding entropy production is crucial for non-equilibrium systems.
• Inertia's role in active particle systems remains an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of inertia on entropy production rate (Π) in active particles.
• To explore the relationship between entropy production and heat dissipation.
• To derive new formulations for Π and the virial theorem for active particles.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Kramers equation for active particles.
• Derivation of an intuitive expression linking entropy production and heat dissipation.
• Exact calculations for systems with unconfined and harmonically trapped particles.

Main Results:

• Entropy production (Π) is independent of temperature for unconfined and harmonically trapped active particles.
• For harmonic traps, Π is maximized when persistence time (τ) equals the inverse of the natural oscillator frequency (ω⁻¹).
• Thermal fluctuations reduce Π in 1D boxes and non-harmonic potentials.

Conclusions:

• Inertia significantly influences entropy production in active particle systems.
• The derived expressions provide a simplified understanding of entropy production and heat dissipation.
• System geometry and confinement type critically affect entropy production rates.