Heat fluctuations for underdamped Langevin dynamics

TL;DR

This paper derives an integral fluctuation theorem for heat in underdamped Langevin systems, enabling prediction of extreme heat fluctuation events and exponential tails in their probability distributions.

Contribution

It introduces a new fluctuation theorem specific to underdamped Langevin dynamics, advancing understanding of heat fluctuations in nonequilibrium systems.

Findings

Predicts exponential tails in heat distribution functions.

Identifies conditions for extreme heat fluctuation events.

Provides a theoretical framework for analyzing heat fluctuations.

Abstract

Fluctuation theorems play a central role in nonequilibrium physics and stochastic thermodynamics. Here we derive an integral fluctuation theorem for the dissipated heat in systems governed by an underdamped Langevin dynamics. We show that this identity may be used to predict the occurrence of extreme events leading to exponential tails in the probability distribution functions of the heat and related quantities.