Entropy Production of Run-and-Tumble Particles

Entropy (Basel). 2024 May 24;26(6):443. doi: 10.3390/e26060443.

Abstract

We analyze the entropy production in run-and-tumble models. After presenting the general formalism in the framework of the Fokker-Planck equations in one space dimension, we derive some known exact results in simple physical situations (free run-and-tumble particles and harmonic confinement). We then extend the calculation to the case of anisotropic motion (different speeds and tumbling rates for right- and left-oriented particles), obtaining exact expressions of the entropy production rate. We conclude by discussing the general case of heterogeneous run-and-tumble motion described by space-dependent parameters and extending the analysis to the case of d-dimensional motions.

Keywords: active matter; entropy production; exact results; non-equilibrium; run-and-tumble motion.

Grants and funding

This research has been supported by the Italian Ministry of University and Research PRIN2020, Project No. 2020PFCXPE and by NextGeneration EU (CUP B63C22000730005), Project IR0000029—Humanities and Cultural Heritage Italian Open Science Cloud (H2IOSC)—M4, C2, Action 3.1.1.