Review article: Large fluctuations in non-equilibrium physics
<p>Non-equilibrium is dominant in geophysical and climate phenomena. However the study of non-equilibrium is much more difficult than equilibrium, and the relevance of probabilistic simplified models has been emphasized. Large deviation rates have been used recently in climate science. In this...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2023-06-01
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Series: | Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics |
Online Access: | https://npg.copernicus.org/articles/30/253/2023/npg-30-253-2023.pdf |
Summary: | <p>Non-equilibrium is dominant in geophysical and climate
phenomena. However the study of non-equilibrium is much more
difficult than equilibrium, and the relevance of probabilistic
simplified models has been emphasized. Large deviation rates have
been used recently in climate science. In this paper, after recalling
progress during the last decades in understanding the role of large
deviations in a class of non-equilibrium systems, we point out
differences between equilibrium and non-equilibrium. For example, in
non-equilibrium (a) large deviation rates may be extensive but not
simply additive. (b) In non-equilibrium there are generically long-range space correlations, so large deviation rates are non-local. (c) Singularities in large deviation rates denote the existence of phase
transitions often not possible in equilibrium. To exemplify, we shall
refer to lattice gas models like the symmetric simple exclusion
process and other models which are playing an important role in the
understanding of non-equilibrium physics. The reasons why all this may
be of interest in climate physics will be briefly indicated.</p> |
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ISSN: | 1023-5809 1607-7946 |