Full Steam Ahead--Probably

@article{Lorenz2003FullSA,
  title={Full Steam Ahead--Probably},
  author={Ralph D. Lorenz},
  journal={Science},
  year={2003},
  volume={299},
  pages={837 - 838}
}
  • R. Lorenz
  • Published 7 February 2003
  • Physics
  • Science
It has long been argued that complex systems like Earth's climate may be in a state of maximum entropy production. In such a state, the work output-or, crudely, the product of the heat flux and the temperature gradient driving it-is maximized. But, as [Lorenz][1] explains in his Perspective, no reason for why systems should choose this state has been known. He highlights a recent paper that shows how the maximum entropy production state can become the most probable state. [1]: http://www… 
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40 Citations
Background Citations
11
Methods Citations
5

40 Citations

4 Maximum Entropy Production and Non-equilibrium Statistical Mechanics
Over the last 30 years empirical evidence in favour of the Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) principle for non-equilibrium systems has been accumulating from studies of phenomena as diverse as…
The second law of thermodynamics and the global climate system: A review of the maximum entropy production principle
The long‐term mean properties of the global climate system and those of turbulent fluid systems are reviewed from a thermodynamic viewpoint. Two general expressions are derived for a rate of entropy…
Beyond Gaia: Thermodynamics of Life and Earth System Functioning
Are there any general principles that govern the way in which life affects Earth system functioning? Most prominently, the Gaia hypothesis addresses this question by proposing that near-homeostatic…
Thermodynamics of irreversible transitions in the oceanic general circulation
In this study, we investigate a transition process among multiple steady states of oceanic circulation under the same set of boundary conditions, and clarify the relationship between entropy…
The atmospheric circulation and states of maximum entropy production
Energy balance models suggest that the atmospheric circulation operates close to a state of maximum entropy production. Here we support this hypothesis with sensitivity simulations of an atmospheric…
Self-organisation and dissipation in real and synthetic earthquake populations
Energy released from the Earth’s crust in the form of earthquakes commonly follows a powerlaw gamma type probability distribution. This spontaneous organisation is in apparent contradiction to the…
Kirchhoff's loop law and the maximum entropy production principle.
TLDR
This work shows that for the linear planar electric network in a stationary state at the fixed temperature, that loop law can be derived from the maximum entropy production principle, which means that the currents in network branches are distributed in such a way as to achieve the state ofmaximum entropy production.
Thermodynamics of Small Systems
Thermodynamics is the study of the flow and transformation of heat into work. Until recently, our understanding of thermodynamics was largely confined to equi-librium states. Linear irreversible…
The Yarkovsky effect as a heat engine
Differences and implications in biogeochemistry from maximizing entropy production locally versus globally
TLDR
The results show that entropy production can be increased if maximized over the system domain rather than locally, which has important implications regarding how biological systems organize and supports the hypothesis for multiple levels of selection and cooperation in biology for the dissipation of free energy.
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References

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On the thermodynamics of the oceanic general circulation: Irreversible transition to a state with higher rate of entropy production
The mechanism of transitions among multiple steady states of thermohaline circulation is investigated from a thermodynamic viewpoint. An oceanic general‐circulation model is used to obtain the…
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疟原虫var基因转换速率变化导致抗原变异[英]／Paul H, Robert P, Christodoulou Z, et al//Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1（PfPMP1）与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用，在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员，通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。
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