III. Ecosmos: A Revolutionary Fertile, Habitable, Solar-Bioplanet, Incubator Lifescape

1. Life's New Open Quantum Informatiive Resource Thermoversion

Vedral, Vlatko. Law and Disorder. New Scientist. April 7, 2018. The Oxford University and National University of Singapore physicist writes a popular entry to the embryonic field of quantum thermodynamics as this deepest theoretical realm merges with dynamical energies. By virtue of this historic 2010s synthesis, vast vistas are opening for human acumens to imagine and commence a new creativity. For much more visit Vedral's research website Frontiers of Quantum Physics at quantumoxford.com. See also In From the Cold by VV in 21 Great Mysteries of the Universe (search Lawton).

Vinjanampathy, Sai and Janet Anders. Quantum Thermodynamics. Contemporary Physics. Online July, 2016. In our age of global Internet collaboration, National University of Singapore and University of Exeter, UK, physicists post a mid 2010s survey of this expansive fundamental field.

Quantum thermodynamics is an emerging research field aiming to extend standard thermodynamics and non-equilibrium statistical physics to ensembles of sizes well below the thermodynamic limit, in non-equilibrium situations, and with the full inclusion of quantum effects. Fuelled by experimental advances and the potential of future nanoscale applications this research effort is pursued by scientists with different backgrounds, including statistical physics, many-body theory, mesoscopic physics and quantum information theory, who bring various tools and methods to the field. A multitude of theoretical questions are being addressed ranging from issues of thermalisation of quantum systems and various definitions of "work", to the efficiency and power of quantum engines. (Abstract)

Wilson, Matt and Giulio, Chilibella. A Mathematical Framework for Transformations of Physical Processes. arXiv:2204.04319. Hong Kong University – Oxford University Joint Laboratory for Quantum Information and Computation scholars (search GC) post a latest survey as this deepest fundament phase continues to be reconceived into the 21st century (see Quantum Organics above). As the quotes allude, an historic reset includes a cross- integration with the macro “classical” phase, whereby quantum phenomena can be found to exhinit the same complex network system qualities as everywhere else. Herein this paper expands upon a shift from a particulate focus to equally important relations in between.

We also cite because Chilibella’s work is noted by Philip Ball (2022) as a vital contribution to 2020s revisions of thermodynamic drives. For more see his The Nonequilibrium Cost of Accurate Information Processing (2203.09369) and Transforming Quantum Operations: Quantum Supermaps in Europhysics Letters (83/3, 2008).

We observe that the existence of sequential and parallel composition supermaps in higher order physics can be formalized using enriched category theory. Encouraged by physically relevant examples such as unitary supermaps, we model higher order physics in analogy with the process theoretic framework and monoidal categories. We then show that higher order physical theories can result from the combined existence of parallel and sequential composition supermaps with an additional feature of "linking". The aim of the proposed definitions is to give a better way to study novel causal structures in quantum theory, and, more broadly, provide a paradigm of physical theory where static and dynamical features are treated in a unified way. (Abstract excerpt)

Traditionally, physical theories have been concerned with the laws governing the evolution of particles or fields. In the ontology of a theory, the physical systems are regarded as objects, while their evolution is a way to predict relations among objects in different regions of space and time. Over the past decade, a series of works in quantum information theory started exploring the idea that processes themselves could be regarded as objects, which can be acted upon by a kind of higher order physical transformations, known as quantum supermaps. Quantum supermaps have found a wide range of applications to quantum information and computation, and to the study of new types of causal structures arising in quantum mechanics. In addition, higher order transformations provide a broad framework for general physical theories with dynamical causal structure. (1)

Wolchover, Natalie. The Quantum Thermodynamics Revolution. Quanta Magazine. Online May 2, 2017. As physicists extend the 19th-century laws of thermodynamics to the quantum realm, they’re rewriting the relationships among energy, entropy and information. So advises the science writer in an engaging, accessible entry to this 21st century turn whence classical and quantum phenomena join forces as the same systems theories are applied to each domain. A late integration of Sadi Carnot, James Maxwell and Ludwig Boltzman with today’s theorists such as Sandu Popescu, Lidia del Rio, Charles Bennett, Renato Renner, Jonathan Oppenheim, and Janet Anders, among many, is challenging but robustly underway. For an example, the paper The Role of Quantum Information in Thermodynamics at arXiv:1505.07835 is cited. Entries to this section, along with the copious online journal Entropy, contain many citations as older fields and definitions merge and morph in a unifying organic cosmos.

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