Stochastic thermodynamics of active Brownian particles

TL;DR

This paper develops a stochastic thermodynamic framework for active Brownian particles, deriving fluctuation theorems and response relations for self-propelled systems in fluctuating environments.

Contribution

It introduces a thermodynamic description based on Langevin dynamics for active particles, including fluctuation theorems and modified fluctuation dissipation relations.

Findings

Derived fluctuation theorems for entropy production.

Established a modified fluctuation dissipation relation.

Applied the framework to models of molecular motors and self-propelled particles.

Abstract

Examples of self propulsion in strongly fluctuating environment is abound in nature, e.g., molecular motors and pumps operating in living cells. Starting from Langevin equation of motion, we develop a fluctuating thermodynamic description of self propelled particles using simple models of velocity dependent forces. We derive fluctuation theorems for entropy production and a modified fluctuation dissipation relation, characterizing the linear response at non-equilibrium steady states. We study these notions in a simple model of molecular motors, and in the Rayleigh-Helmholtz and energy-depot model of self propelled particles.