Comets and entropy hydrodynamics: How does evolution violate the 2nd law?

Robert B. Sheldon; Gary Webb

doi:10.1117/12.2029578

26 September 2013 Comets and entropy hydrodynamics: How does evolution violate the 2nd law?

Robert B. Sheldon, Gary Webb

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8865, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XVI; 88650A (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2029578
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2013, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Information density can increase locally if one is careful to control the flow of entropy. Not diffusively but through clever use of “invariants of the flow”. Replacing entropy with true invariants of the flow, we show how information can be concentrated or “added” consistent with the observation of increasing complexity on the Earth. Analogous to a digital computer made of fluid components, the “calculation” proceeds by clever manipulation of boundary conditions. Magnetized comets possess exactly the properties needed to produce the simplest entropy invariant, making them a prime candidate for driving evolution. They may also provide the origin of the chirality or ”handedness” of life. Thus the Origin-of-life, evolutionary progress paradox can be solved, but at the cost of requiring the universe to be in a highly information-dense initial state.

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Robert B. Sheldon and Gary Webb "Comets and entropy hydrodynamics: How does evolution violate the 2nd law?", Proc. SPIE 8865, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology XVI, 88650A (26 September 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2029578

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