Entropy production of active particles and for particles in active baths

Patrick Pietzonka, Udo Seifert

Published 2017-07-12Version 1

Entropy production of an active particle in an external potential is identified through a thermodynamically consistent minimal lattice model that includes the chemical reaction providing the propulsion and ordinary translational noise. In the continuum limit, a unique expression follows, comprising a direct contribution from the active process and an indirect contribution from ordinary diffusive motion. From the corresponding Langevin equation, this physical entropy production cannot be inferred through the conventional, however, here ambiguous, comparison of forward and time-reversed trajectories. Generalizations to several interacting active particles and passive particles in a bath of active ones are presented explicitly, further ones are briefly indicated.