Thermodynamic Bounds on Generalized Transport: From Single-Molecule to Bulk Observables

Area of Science:

• Statistical Mechanics
• Thermodynamics
• Non-equilibrium systems

Background:

• Stochastic thermodynamics describes systems with fluctuating dynamics.
• Transport of observables is crucial for understanding system behavior.
• Current methods often struggle with bulk experiments and underdamped dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a universal upper bound for the transport of differentiable scalar observables in d-dimensional non-equilibrium systems.
• To connect stochastic thermodynamics with bulk experimental observations.
• To bridge the gap in thermodynamic inference for systems exhibiting underdamped dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Derivation of a time-integrated generalized speed limit.
• Theoretical analysis of transport bounds in various dynamic regimes.
• Demonstration of applicability to bulk experiments using examples.

Main Results:

• The transport of any differentiable scalar observable is bounded by total entropy production scaled by coordinate stretching.
• This bound unifies underdamped, overdamped stochastic, and deterministic dynamics.
• The bound relies on averages, not fluctuations, making it practical for bulk measurements.

Conclusions:

• The derived transport bound provides a practical tool for thermodynamic inference in diverse systems.
• It facilitates the study of molecular machines and other systems from bulk observations.
• This work enhances the applicability of stochastic thermodynamics to real-world experiments.