Entropy Production of Stars

Abstract

The entropy production (inside the volume bounded by a photosphere) of main-sequence stars, subgiants, giants, and supergiants is calculated based on B–V photometry data. A non-linear inverse relationship of thermodynamic fluxes and forces as well as an almost constant specific (per volume) entropy production of main-sequence stars (for 95% of stars, this quantity lies within 0.5 to 2.2 of the corresponding solar magnitude) is found. The obtained results are discussed from the perspective of known extreme principles related to entropy production.

Keywords

• non-equilibrium thermodynamics
• main-sequence stars
• giants
• supergiants
• stability
• metastability
• minimum and maximum entropy production