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

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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.
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