An illustrative example of the relationship between dissipation and relative entropy

TL;DR

This paper illustrates the relationship between dissipation and relative entropy using an exactly solvable model of a Brownian particle in a dragged harmonic trap, building on recent theoretical developments.

Contribution

It provides a concrete example demonstrating the connection between dissipated work and relative entropy in a solvable physical system.

Findings

Quantitative relationship between dissipation and relative entropy confirmed

Exact solution for a Brownian particle in a dragged harmonic trap

Supports theoretical link between irreversibility and information measures

Abstract

Kawai, Parrondo, and Van den Broeck [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 080602 (2007)] have recently established a quantitative relationship between dissipated work and a microscopic, information-theoretic measure of irreversibility. We illustrate this result using the exactly solvable system of a Brownian particle in a dragged harmonic trap.