SYSTEM (Far-from-equilibrium)
Charles François (2004). SYSTEM (Far-from-equilibrium), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3358.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3358 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
A system far-from-equilibrium undergoes wide fluctuations and may come very close to a threshold of instabilility. A still wider fluctuation may cause it to cross such a threshold, which becomes a bifurcation point where the system may jump to another steady state. In chaotic systems, such bifurcations may become quite frequent, creating a multiplicity of possible fractal stability basins. Sometimes, beyond such a crisis point a higher organized state may emerge, associated with a higher level of entropy production (I. PRIGOGINE).