Close-to-equilibrium heat capacity

Abstract

Close to equilibrium, the excess heat governs the static fluctuations. We study the heat capacity in that McLennan regime, i.e. in linear order around equilibrium, using an expression in terms of the average energy that extends the equilibrium formula in the canonical ensemble. It is derivable from an entropy and it always vanishes at zero temperature. Any violation of an extended Third Law is therefore a nonlinear effect.