Entropy balance in distributed reversible Gray–Scott model

A practical way to calculate the entropy change in the distributed media composed of reversible Gray–Scott model is demonstrated. The entropy change is given as the sum of the entropy production and the divergence of entropy flow. The divergence of entropy is calculated based on the chemical potential of steady state. It becomes evident that: (i) the entropy change for the emergence of dissipative structures in the open system can be positive or negative, (ii) most of the entropy produced inside the system is thrown out to the environment when dissipative structures are developing, (iii) the entropy production and the divergence of entropy flow balance completely, when the system shows static steady states, (iv) the entropy change behaves as if it is the time derivative of the entropy production. Prior to these calculations of entropy balance, the features of emergent patterns in the two-dimensional system are examined in terms of entropy production solely. The results imply that the entropy production can be an index for us to discriminate spatial patterns, but is not a global thermodynamic potential for the evolution of dissipative structures.