Interpretation of the Boundary Current Synchronization as a Maxwell's Demon

Abstract

This study has applied information thermodynamics to a bivariate linear stochastic differential equation (SDE) that describes a synchronization phenomenon of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) between the Gulf Stream and the Kuroshio Current, which is referred to as the boundary current synchronization (BCS). Information thermodynamics divides the entire system fluctuating with stochastic noise into subsystems and describes the interactions between these subsystems from the perspective of information transfer. The SDE coefficients have been estimated through regression analysis using observational and numerical simulation data. In the absence of stochastic noise, the solution of the estimated SDE shows that the SSTs relax toward zero without oscillating. The estimated SDE can be interpreted as a Maxwell's demon system, with the Gulf Stream playing the role of the "Particle" and the Kuroshio Current playing the role of the "Demon." This interpretation gives the asymmetric roles of both ocean currents. The Gulf Stream forces the SST of the Kuroshio Current to be in phase. By contrast, the Kuroshio Current maintains the phase by interfering with the relaxation of the Gulf Stream SST. In the framework of Maxwell's demon, the Gulf Stream is interpreted as being measured by the Kuroshio Current, whereas the Kuroshio Current is interpreted as performing feedback control on the Gulf Stream. When the Gulf Stream and the Kuroshio Current are coupled in an appropriate parameter regime, synchronization is realized with atmospheric and oceanic noise as the driving source.