Mixing, entropy and competition

TL;DR

This paper explores a thermodynamic framework for understanding competitive systems, linking entropy, mixing, and turbulence, and introduces a competitive potential concept to describe system evolution and intransitivities.

Contribution

It extends thermodynamic principles to competitive systems, introducing a competitive H-theorem and analyzing intransitivities in competition rules.

Findings

Competitive potential determines system evolution direction.

Intransitivities lead to complex behaviors in competitive systems.

Thermodynamic description applies to a broad class of non-equilibrium phenomena.

Abstract

Non-traditional thermodynamics, applied to random behaviour associated with turbulence, mixing and competition, is reviewed and analysed. Competitive mixing represents a general framework for the study of generic properties of competitive systems and can be used to model a wide class of non-equilibrium phenomena ranging from turbulent premixed flames and invasion waves to complex competitive systems. We demonstrate consistency of the general principles of competition with thermodynamic description, review and analyse the related entropy concepts and introduce the corresponding competitive H-theorem. A competitive system can be characterised by a thermodynamic quantity - competitive potential --- which determines the likely direction of evolution of the system. Contested resources tend to move between systems from lower to higher values of the competitive potential. There is, however, an important difference between conventional thermodynamics and competitive thermodynamics. While conventional thermodynamics is constrained by its zeroth law and is fundamentally transitive, the transitivity of competitive thermodynamics depends on the transitivity of the competition rules. Intransitivities are common in the real world and are responsible for complex behaviour in competitive systems. This work follows the ideas and methods that are originated in analysis of turbulent combustion but reviews a much broader scope of issues linked to mixing and competition, including thermodynamic characterisation of complex competitive systems with self-organisation. The approach presented here is interdisciplinary and is addressed to a general educated reader, while the mathematical details can be found in the Appendices.