Specifically, these are non-equilibrium systems that evolve through avalanches of change and dissipations that reach up to the highest scales of the system.

SOC is typically observed in slowly driven non-equilibrium systems with extended degrees of freedom and a high level of nonlinearity.

A non-equilibrium thermodynamical system is modeled by considering macroscopic fluctuations of the local inverse temperature.

It can be said in such cases that autowave arose, which is one of the results of self-organization in non-equilibrium thermodynamic systems.

Many results in classical thermodynamics are not easily applied to non-equilibrium systems.

The thermodynamic study of non-equilibrium systems requires more general concepts than are dealt with by equilibrium thermodynamics.

Driven complex fluids, turbulent systems and glasses are other examples of non-equilibrium systems.

Following Onsager (1931,I), let us extend our considerations to thermodynamically non-equilibrium systems.

One of the methods of dealing with non-equilibrium systems is to introduce so-called 'internal variables'.

A non-equilibrium system can have a very inhomogeneous dynamical structure.