Earth System Dynamics
Earth System Dynamics
ESD
Articles | Volume 14, issue 4
Articles | Volume 14, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-14-861-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-14-861-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 14, issue 4
Review
 | 
30 Aug 2023
Review |  | 30 Aug 2023

Working at the limit: a review of thermodynamics and optimality of the Earth system

Axel Kleidon

Viewed

Total article views: 3,563 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
2,560 936 67 3,563 47 52
  • HTML: 2,560
  • PDF: 936
  • XML: 67
  • Total: 3,563
  • BibTeX: 47
  • EndNote: 52
Views and downloads (calculated since 22 Aug 2022)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 22 Aug 2022)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 3,563 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 3,481 with geography defined and 82 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 

Cited

Latest update: 09 May 2024
Download
Short summary
The second law of thermodynamics has long intrigued scientists, but what role does it play in the Earth system? This review shows that its main role is that it shapes the conversion of sunlight into work. This work can then maintain the dynamics of the physical climate system, the biosphere, and human societies. The relevance of it is that apparently many processes work at their limits, directly or indirectly, so they become predictable by simple means.
Read more
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint