Relations between timescales of stochastic thermodynamic observables

Abstract

Abstract Any real physical process that produces entropy, dissipates energy as heat, or generates mechanical work must do so on a finite timescale. Recently derived thermodynamic speed limits place bounds on these observables using intrinsic timescales of the process. Here, we derive relationships for the thermodynamic speeds for any composite stochastic observable in terms of the timescales of its individual components. From these speed limits, we find bounds on thermal efficiency of stochastic processes exchanging energy as heat and work and bound the rate of entropy change in a system with entropy production and flow. Using the time set by an external clock, we find bounds on the first time to reach any value for the entropy production. As an illustration, we compute these bounds for Brownian particles diffusing in space subject to a constant-temperature heat bath and a time-dependent external force.