Is Computation Reversible?
| dc.creator | Parker, Michael C. | |
| dc.creator | Walker, Stuart D. | |
| dc.date | 2004-01-16 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-07T05:50:57Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-07T05:50:57Z | |
| dc.description | Recent investigations into the physical nature of information and fundamental limits to information transmission have revealed questions such as the possibility of superluminal data transfer or not; and whether reversible computation (information processing) is feasible. In some respects these uncertainties stem from the determination of whether information is inherent in points of non-analyticity (discontinuities) or smoother functions. The close relationship between information and entropy is also well known, e.g. Brillouin's concept of negentropy (negative entropy) as a measure for information. Since the leading edge of a step-discontinuity propagates in any dispersive medium at the speed of light in vacuum as a precursor to the main body of the dispersed pulse, we propose in this paper to treat information as being intrinsic to points of non-analyticity (discontinuities). This allows us to construct a theory addressing these dilemmas in a fashion consistent with causality, and the fundamental laws of thermodynamics. A consequence of our proposition is that the movement of information is always associated with the dissipation of heat, and therefore that the concept of reversible classical computation is not tenable. | |
| dc.description | 8 pages, 2 figures | |
| dc.identifier | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0401077 | |
| dc.identifier | http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0401077 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/85874 | |
| dc.subject | Classical Physics | |
| dc.subject | General Physics | |
| dc.title | Is Computation Reversible? | |
| dc.type | text |