2023/12/29 by Ji-Hui Pei, Pei, Ji-Hui, H. T. Quan +2 · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2312.17621
openalex publication_date 2023/12/29 · openalex created_date 2024/01/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The principle of covariance, a cornerstone of modern physics, asserts the equivalence of all inertial frames of reference. Fluctuation theorems, as extensions of the second law of thermodynamics, establish universal connections between irreversibility and fluctuation in terms of stochastic thermodynamic quantities. However, these relations typically assume that both the thermodynamic system and the heat bath are at rest with respect to the observer, thereby failing to satisfy the principle of covariance. In this study, by introducing covariant work and heat that incorporate both energy-related and momentum-related components, we promote fluctuation theorems into covariant forms applicable to moving thermodynamic systems and moving heat baths. We illustrate this framework with two examples: the work statistics of a relativistic stochastic field and the heat statistics of a relativistic Brownian motion. Although our study is carried out in the context of special relativity, the results can be extended to the nonrelativistic limit. Our work combines the principle of covariance and fluctuation theorems into a coherent framework and may have applications in the study of thermodynamics relevant to cosmic microwave background as well as the radiative heat transfer and noncontact friction between relatively moving bodies.