Heat-pulse propagation along nonequilibrium nanowires in thermomass theory

Abstract

Abstract We analyze the consequences of the nonlinear terms in the heat-transport equation of the thermomass theory on heat pulses propagating in a nanowire in nonequilibrium situations. As a consequence of the temperature dependence of the speeds of propagation, in temperature ranges wherein the specific heat shows negligible variations, heat pulses will shrink (or extend) spatially, and will increase (or decrease) their average temperature when propagating along a temperature gradient. A comparison with the results predicted by a different theoretical proposal on the shape of a propagating heat pulse is made, too.