Casimir–Onsager matrix for weakly driven processes

Abstract

Modeling of physical systems must be based on their suitability to unavoidable physical laws. In this work, in the context of classical, isothermal, finite-time, and weak drivings, I demonstrate that physical systems, driven simultaneously at the same rate in two or more external parameters, must have the Fourier transform of their relaxation functions composing a positive-definite matrix to satisfy the Second Law of Thermodynamics. By evaluating them in the limit of near-to-equilibrium processes, I identify that such coefficients are the Casimir–Onsager ones. The result is verified in paradigmatic models of the overdamped and underdamped white noise Brownian motions. Finally, an extension to thermally isolated systems is made by using the time-averaged Casimir–Onsager matrix, in which the example of the harmonic oscillator is presented.