Paper detail

Reconstructing Equilibrium Entropy and Enthalpy Profiles from Non-equilibrium Pulling

The Jarzynski identity can be applied to instances when a microscopic system is pulled repeatedly but quickly along some coordinate, allowing the calculation of an equilibrium free energy profile along the pulling coordinate from a set of independent non-equilibrium trajectories. Using the formalism of Wiener stochastic path integrals in which we assign temperature-dependent weights to Langevin trajectories, we derive exact formulae for the temperature derivatives of the free energy profile. This leads naturally to analytical expressions for decomposing a free energy profile into equilibrium entropy and internal energy profiles from non-equilibrium pulling. This decomposition can be done from trajectories evolved at a unique temperature without repeating the measurement as done in finite-difference decompositions. Three distinct analytical expressions for the entropy-energy decomposition are derived: using a time-dependent generalization of the weighted histogram analysis method, a quasi harmonic spring limit, and a Feynman-Kac formula. The three novel formulae of reconstructing the pair of entropy-energy profiles are exemplified by Langevin simulations of a two-dimensional model system prototypical for force-induced biomolecular conformational changes. Connections to single-molecule experimental means to probe the functionals needed in the decomposition are suggested.