Mechanoevolution: The Possibility of Deeper Connections Between Information Theory and the Second Law

Author(s):  
Bradley E. Layton

Entropy, S is an extensive physical property with dimensions of energy per Kelvin. Information, I is an extensive mathematical metric with units of bits. If we consider discrete living systems such as individual organisms as well as discrete technological systems such as hand tools, automobiles, and computers as systems that maintain both a quantifiable specific energy throughput, φ and a quantifiable information throughput, I˙m at the expense of entropy production, S˙, we can then begin to build a formal relationship among these three variables within organic, synthetic and hybrid systems. The combination of mass-specific energy and information throughput within a system results in a local partitioning of entropy: local entropy diminution causes global entropy acceleration. In general, as the symbioses between humans and machines become more tightly bound through a process termed “mechanoevolution,” the respective rates of information throughput, energy throughput, and thus entropy production accelerate towards a yet unknown limit.

Author(s):  
Yu Nakayama

In this paper, we study anomalous hydrodynamics with a dyonic charge. We show that the local second law of thermodynamics constrains the structure of the anomaly in addition to the structure of the hydrodynamic constitutive equations. In particular, we show that not only the usual [Formula: see text] term but also [Formula: see text] term should be present in the anomaly with a specific coefficient for the local entropy production to be positive definite.


Author(s):  
Hucan Hou ◽  
Yongxue Zhang ◽  
Xin Zhou ◽  
Zhitao Zuo ◽  
Haisheng Chen

The ultra-low specific speed centrifugal pump has been widely applied in aerospace engineering, metallurgy, and other industrial fields. However, its hydraulic design lacks specialized theory and method. Moreover, the impeller and volute are designed separately without considering their coupling effect. Therefore, the optimal design is proposed in this study based on the local entropy production theory. Four geometrical parameters are selected to establish orthogonal design schemes including blade outlet setting angle, wrapping angle volute inlet width, and throat area. Subsequently, a 3D steady flow with Reynolds stress turbulent model and energy equation model is numerically conducted and the entropy production is calculated by a user-defined function code. The range analysis is made to identify the optimal scheme indicating that the combination of local entropy production and orthogonal design is feasible on pump optimization. The optimal pump is visibly improved with an increase of 1.08% in efficiency. Entropy production is decreased by 16.75% and 6.03% in impeller and volute, respectively. High energy loss areas are captured and explained in terms of helical vortex and wall friction, and the turbulent and wall entropy production are respectively reduced by 3.82% and 14.34% for the total pump.


1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (28) ◽  
pp. 3369-3382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. N. SRIVASTAVA ◽  
G. VITIELLO ◽  
A. WIDOM

In order to understand the Landau–Lifshitz conjecture on the relationship between quantum measurements and the thermodynamic second law, we discuss the notion of "diabatic" and "adiabatic" forces exerted by the quantum object on the classical measurement apparatus. The notion of heat and work in measurements is made manifest in this approach and the relationship between information entropy and thermodynamic entropy is explored.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
sungguen ryu ◽  
Rosa Lopez ◽  
L Serra ◽  
David Sanchez

Abstract Classically, the power generated by an ideal thermal machine cannot be larger than the Carnot limit. This profound result is rooted in the second law of thermodynamics. A hot question is whether this bound is still valid for microengines operating far from equilibrium. Here, we demonstrate that a quantum chiral conductor driven by AC voltage can indeed work with efficiencies much larger than the Carnot bound. The system also extracts work from common temperature baths, violating Kelvin-Planck statement. Nonetheless, with the proper definition, entropy production is always positive and the second law is preserved. The crucial ingredients to obtain efficiencies beyond the Carnot limit are: i) irreversible entropy production by the photoassisted excitation processes due to the AC field and ii) absence of power injection thanks to chirality. Our results are relevant in view of recent developments that use small conductors to test the fundamental limits of thermodynamic engines.


AI Magazine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Mitchell

In 1986, the mathematician and philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota wrote, “I wonder whether or when artificial intelligence will ever crash the barrier of meaning” (Rota 1986). Here, the phrase “barrier of meaning” refers to a belief about humans versus machines: Humans are able to actually understand the situations they encounter, whereas even the most advanced of today’s artificial intelligence systems do not yet have a humanlike understanding of the concepts that we are trying to teach them. This lack of understanding may underlie current limitations on the generality and reliability of modern artificial intelligence systems. In October 2018, the Santa Fe Institute held a three-day workshop, organized by Barbara Grosz, Dawn Song, and myself, called Artificial Intelligence and the Barrier of Meaning. Thirty participants from a diverse set of disciplines — artificial intelligence, robotics, cognitive and developmental psychology, animal behavior, information theory, and philosophy, among others — met to discuss questions related to the notion of understanding in living systems and the prospect for such understanding in machines. In the hope that the results of the workshop will be useful to the broader community, this article summarizes the main themes of discussion and highlights some of the ideas developed at the workshop.


Author(s):  
Carlos Gershenson

When we attempt to define life, we tend to refer to individuals, those that are alive. But these individuals might be cells, organisms, colonies... ecosystems? We can describe living systems at different scales. Which ones might be the best ones to describe different selves? I explore this question using concepts from information theory, ALife, and Buddhist philosophy. After brief introductions, I review the implications of changing the scale of observation, and how this affects our understanding of selves at different structural, temporal, and informational scales. The conclusion is that there is no single ``best'' scale for a self, as this will depend on the scale at which decisions must be made. Different decisions, different scales.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (04) ◽  
pp. 1950022
Author(s):  
César A. Rodríguez-Rosario ◽  
Thomas Frauenheim ◽  
Alán Aspuru-Guzik

Here we demonstrate how the interplay between quantum coherences and a decoherence bath, such as one given by continuos quantum measurements, lead to new kinds of thermodynamic potentials and flows. We show how a mathematical extension of thermodynamics includes decoherence baths leading to a more general sense of the zeroth and first law. We also show how decoherence adds contributions to the change in entropy production in the second law. We derive a thermodynamic potential that depends only on the interplay between quantum coherences and a decoherence thermodynamic bath. This leads to novel thermodynamic effects, such as Onsager relationships that depend on quantum coherences. This provides a thermodynamics interpretation of the role of decoherence on quantum transport in very general systems.


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