A physicist has proposed rebuilding the foundations of thermodynamics using gauge theory, a mathematical framework from quantum fields. The approach aims to address long-standing imprecision in the 200-year-old theory. It was presented at a conference in June.
Bryan Roberts of the London School of Economics and Political Science outlined the method at the Foundations of Physics conference in Irvine, California, on 16 June. The work draws on gauge theory to separate observable quantities like work from hidden ones such as heat, mapping them onto distinct mathematical spaces.
Roberts argues this geometric structure allows temperature and entropy to be defined more rigorously. It could apply across systems from engines to black holes. Preliminary experiments with molecular junctions suggest possible links to effects like the Aharonov-Bohm phenomenon.
Lucas Céleri of the Federal University of Goiás called the idea complementary to quantum thermodynamics efforts. He noted gauge theory may also aid combining thermodynamics with special relativity.