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Work Fluctuations for a Harmonically Confined Active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Particle
Massimiliano Semeraro1, Giuseppe Gonnella1, Antonio Suma1
1Dipartimento Interateneo di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Bari and INFN, Sezione di Bari, via Amendola 173, Bari I-70126, Italy.
Physical Review Letters
|October 28, 2023
Summary
We analyzed active work fluctuations for an active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particle in a harmonic potential. Harmonic confinement creates singularities in the active work rate function due to large jumps in displacement and active force.
Area of Science:
- Statistical mechanics
- Active matter physics
Background:
- Active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particles are models for self-propelled systems.
- Understanding work fluctuations is crucial in non-equilibrium thermodynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analytically investigate active work fluctuations of an active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particle under harmonic confinement.
- To characterize the behavior of active work rate functions under these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Analytical treatment of active work fluctuations.
- Consideration of both stationary and generic uncorrelated initial states.
- Analysis of the active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particle model with a harmonic potential.
Main Results:
- Harmonic confinement induces singularities in the active work rate function.
- Linear stretches appear at large positive and negative active work for strong confinement and activity.
- Singularities arise from significant jumps in displacement and active force at trajectory boundaries.
Conclusions:
- Boundary terms are critically important in determining active work fluctuations.
- Harmonic potentials can lead to non-trivial behavior in active matter systems.
- The findings offer insights into the thermodynamics of confined active particles.
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