Energetics of Fluctuations and Responses in Systems Far from Equilibrium(Current Topics)

Abstract

In systems far from equilibrium, although it has been realized that the fluctuation-dissipation theorem is not applicable, the physical significance of its violation remains unclear. Recently, an equality directly connecting the magnitude of the violation to the rate of energy dissipation in various nonequilibrium systems has been discovered. This equality enables us to study energetic aspects of a nonequilibrium system through measurements on the fluctuations and responses. In the present article, we discuss the physical significance of this new relation as well as its possibility of experimental application.