The Maximum Entropy Production Principle: Its Theoretical Foundations and Applications to the Earth System

James Dyke,Axel Kleidon

doi:10.3390/e12030613

Abstract

The Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) principle has been remarkably successful in producing accurate predictions for non-equilibrium states. We argue that this is because the MEP principle is an effective inference procedure that produces the best predictions from the available information. Since all Earth system processes are subject to the conservation of energy, mass and momentum, we argue that in practical terms the MEP principle should be applied to Earth system processes in terms of the already established framework of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, with the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium at the appropriate scales.

Highlights

The proposed Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) principle states that sufficiently complex systems are characterized by a non-equilibrium thermodynamic state in which the rate of thermodynamic entropy production is maximized [1,2,3,4]
Since all Earth system processes are subject to the conservation of energy, mass and momentum, we argue that in practical terms the MEP principle should be applied to Earth system processes in terms of the already established framework of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, with the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium at the appropriate scales
In this paper we attempt to answer the questions: Why does the MEP principle work? How can the MEP principle be used to increase our knowledge of the Earth system? In doing so we will consider the theoretical basis of the MEP principle in the face of what may appear to be two conflicting interpretations: first, that the MEP principle is a natural law that provides a description of real world systems; second, that the MEP principle is an inference procedure that can robustly increase our information about certain systems

Summary

Introduction

The proposed Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) principle states that sufficiently complex systems are characterized by a non-equilibrium thermodynamic state in which the rate of thermodynamic entropy production is maximized [1,2,3,4]. We show how systems that have states that are further from thermodynamic equilibrium will require more information in order to model accurately which is equivalent to specifying more boundary conditions for the MEP principle procedure.

Results

Conclusion