Dissipation and lag in irreversible processes
arXiv:0909.3457 · doi:10.1209/0295-5075/87/60005
Abstract
When a system is perturbed by the variation of external parameters, a lag generally develops between the actual state of the system and the equilibrium state corresponding to the current parameter values. We establish a microscopic, quantitative relation between this lag and the dissipated work that accompanies the process. We illustrate this relation using a model system.
6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in EPL