Generalized Hamilton-Jacobi equation for simple dissipative processes

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2004;70(1 Pt 2):016123. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.70.016123. Epub 2004 Jul 30.

Abstract

Following the method of classical mechanics, we calculate the action for Fourier heat conduction from the classical Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We can write a Schrödinger-type equation and we obtain its solution, the kernel by which we may introduce a kind of wave function. Mathematically, we follow Bohm's method introduced to quantum mechanics. The generalized Hamilton-Jacobi equation-which may be handled as a quantum-thermodynamical form-can be calculated. Irreversibility and dissipation are included in a natural way in the field theory of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, so in this way we obtain a quantum-thermodynamical approach of simple dissipative processes.