Measuring irreversibility by counting: a random coarse-graining framework

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Bao, Ruicheng, Ohga, Naruo, Ito, Sosuke
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Bao, Ruicheng
Ohga, Naruo
Ito, Sosuke
author_facet Bao, Ruicheng
Ohga, Naruo
Ito, Sosuke
contents Thermodynamic irreversibility is a fundamental concept in statistical physics, yet its experimental measurement remains challenging, especially for complex systems. We introduce a novel random coarse-graining framework to identify model-free measures of irreversibility in complex many-body systems. These measures are constructed from the asymmetry of cross-correlation functions between suitably chosen observables, providing rigorous lower bounds on entropy production. For many-particle systems, we propose a particularly practical implementation that divides real space into virtual boxes and monitors particle number densities within them, requiring only simple counting from video microscopy, without single-particle tracking, trajectory reconstruction, or prior knowledge of interactions. Owing to its generality and minimal data requirements, the random coarse-graining framework offers broad applicability across diverse nonequilibrium systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_11586
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Measuring irreversibility by counting: a random coarse-graining framework
Bao, Ruicheng
Ohga, Naruo
Ito, Sosuke
Statistical Mechanics
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
Thermodynamic irreversibility is a fundamental concept in statistical physics, yet its experimental measurement remains challenging, especially for complex systems. We introduce a novel random coarse-graining framework to identify model-free measures of irreversibility in complex many-body systems. These measures are constructed from the asymmetry of cross-correlation functions between suitably chosen observables, providing rigorous lower bounds on entropy production. For many-particle systems, we propose a particularly practical implementation that divides real space into virtual boxes and monitors particle number densities within them, requiring only simple counting from video microscopy, without single-particle tracking, trajectory reconstruction, or prior knowledge of interactions. Owing to its generality and minimal data requirements, the random coarse-graining framework offers broad applicability across diverse nonequilibrium systems.
title Measuring irreversibility by counting: a random coarse-graining framework
topic Statistical Mechanics
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Soft Condensed Matter
Biological Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.11586