Black Hole Thermodynamics, Hawking

Radiation and Information Loss Paradox

Alexander Vitanov

Pro-Seminar in Theoretical Physics

ETH Zurich

Mai 11, 2009

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Contents
● Introduction
● The classical laws of black hole mechanics
● Hawking radiation theory/GSL
● Microscopic description of black hole entropy
● Information loss paradox and possible solutions
● Summary

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Space-time diagram of spherical gravitational collapse - formation
of a black hole:

black hole Black hole: Region in space-time

from which no signal can escape to
t event horizon infinity.

singularity

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Structure of a spherical static black hole:

The surface gravity  of a black hole is the

acceleration needed to keep an object at the
event horizon.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Stationary solutions of Einstein-Maxwell Equations

● Schwarzschild 1- parameter class of ● Kerr's 2-parameter class of solutions:

solutions:
➢ Describes black holes possessing
➢ Describes static spherically symmetric mass M and angular momentum J; for
black holes with a mass M; J=0 ⇒ Kerr  Schwarzschild;

● Reissner-Nordstrøm 2-parameter class of ● Kerr-Newman's 3-parameter class of

solutions: solutions:
➢ Describes black holes possessing ➢ Describes black holes possessing mass
electric charge Q and mass M; M, angular momentum J and electric
➢ Generalization of Schwarzschild's charge Q;for Q=J=0 ⇒ Kerr-Newman 
solutions; for Q=0 ⇒ Reissner- Schwarzschild;
Nordstrøm  Schwarzschild;

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

No-Hair -Theorem:
“All black hole solutions of Einstein-Maxwell equations of gravity and electromagnetism in
General Relativity can be comletely characterized by only three externally observable classic
parameters: mass M, total angular momentum J and electric charge.”
[Hawking, Israel, Robinson, Carter]

●Consequences: If there were other stationary solutions, they should form a 3-parameter family
of solutions as well, depending only on the total mass M, the total angular momentum J and the
electric charge Q.

Black hole uniqueness theorem:

“The Kerr-Newman family of solutions describes completely all the stationary black hole which
can possibly occur in General Relativity.
[Robinson, 1973]

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 The classical laws of black hole
mechanics

(Bardeen,Carter,Hawking,1973)

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Close relationship between the laws of black hole mechanics
and the laws of thermodynamics

The zeroth law of black hole mechanics:

“The surface gravity  of stationary black hole is constant over the event horizon.”

The zeroth law of thermodynamics:

“The temperature T is constant for a system in thermal equilibrium.”

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Are there other correspondences between black hole mechanics and
thermodynamics?

Status in the early 70's:

➢As a classical object with Temperature T bh = 0 it was assumed that S bh= 0 .If that were the
case the second law of thermodynamics would be violated by entropy-laden matter entering
the black hole, resulting in a decrease of the total entropy of the universe.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Are there other correspondences between black hole mechanics and
thermodynamics?

Status in the early 70's:

➢As a classical object with Temperature T bh = 0 it was assumed that S bh= 0 .If that were the
case the second law of thermodynamics would be violated by entropy-laden matter entering
the black hole, resulting in a decrease of the total entropy of the universe.

Bekenstein,1972:
➢Black holes must possess entropy S bh~ A whose increase compensates the decrease of the
exterior entropy such that the validity of OSL is preserved.

Motivation:

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

First law of black hole mechanics:
➢ Relates the the energy difference of two ➢The term  dJ  dQ represents the
nearby black hole equilibrium states to the
,

work done on the black hole by an

differences in the area A of the event external agent who increases the black
horizons, in the angular momentum J, and in hole's angular momentum and charge by
the charge dJ and dQ resp. Thus  dJ  dQ
is the analog of − pdV ,the work done

dM = dA dJ  dQ on a TD system.
8
➢ Both laws are equivalent assuming: S = A
and T bh =  such that 8 =1 for
 ,∈ℝ .
➢N.B.: The characteristic temperature T bh
differs from the effective temperature of
First law of thermodynamics: the black hole which is zero.
➢
dU =TdS − pdV

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Second law of black hole mechanics (Hawking's area theorem,1971):
The Area of the event horizon of each black hole does not decrease with time, i.e.  A≥ 0.

Second law of thermodynamics:

The Entropy of a closed system cannot decrease with time, i.e.  S ≥ 0.
Remark:
➢ The second Law of black hole mechanics is slightly stronger than the corresponding
thermodynamic law– one is allowed to transfer entropy from one system to another but one
cannot transfer area from one black hole to another, thus the area of every individual black
should not decrease.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Problem in the classical picture
Immersing a classical black hole in a heat bath:

T heat bath ≠0K

T bh = 0K

The system will never reach a thermal equilibrium⇒ breakdown of the classical
thermodynamics in the presence of a black hole.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Problem in the classical picture
Immersing a classical black hole in a heat bath:

T heat bath ≠0K

T bh = 0K

The system will never reach a thermal equilibrium⇒ breakdown of the classical
thermodynamics in the presence of a black hole.

Conclusion: A black hole must have a non-zero temperature and it must emit
thermal radiation!

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 Hawking radiation

(1974)

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Hawking radiation :
●Virtual particle-antiparticles are permanently
created outside the event horizon.

●Three things can happen to such pairs:

➢Both particles are pulled into the black hole.

➢Both particles escape from the black hole.

➢One particle escapes while the other is pulled into

the black hole.

●For the third possibility, the particle that has

escaped becomes real and appears to have been
emitted by the black hole. The anti-particle that was
pulled into the black hole reduces the black hole
mass, charge and angular momentum. As a result the
black hole shrinks

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Spectrum of radiation:

➢ The radiation spectrum contains all particles present in the matter theory .

➢Hawking semiclassical calculation gives the

expectation value 〈 N 〉 of the number of
particles of a given species with charge q
emitted in a mode with frequency  and
angular momentum m with reference to the
axis of rotation:

〈 N 〉= { exp [ 2  −1 − m − q ]∓1 }−1

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Spectrum of radiation:

➢ The radiation spectrum contains all particles present in the matter theory .

➢Hawking semiclassical calculation gives the

expectation value 〈 N 〉 of the number of
particles of a given species with charge q
emitted in a mode with frequency  and
angular momentum m with reference to the
axis of rotation:

〈 N 〉= { exp [ 2  −1 − m − q ]∓1 }−1

Normalization factor

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Spectrum of radiation:

➢ The radiation spectrum contains all particles present in the matter theory .

➢Hawking semiclassical calculation gives the

expectation value 〈 N 〉 of the number of
particles of a given species with charge q
emitted in a mode with frequency  and
angular momentum m with reference to the
axis of rotation:

〈 N 〉= { exp [ 2  −1 − m − q ]∓1 }−1

Normalization factor -1:bosons

+1:fermions

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 Remarks:
➢ Hawking's formula implies that more energetic modes have a lower probability of being
emitted:

E ~

〈 N 〉 ~{ exp [ 2 −1 −m −q j ]∓1 }−1 

∞ 0

How can we understand this physically?

From Heisenberg's principle  E  t ~h follows that high energy particles have smaller
lifetime , hence less time  t for one of the particle-antiparticle pair to escape from the black
hole.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 Remarks:
 is truly the physical temperature of a black
➢ Hawking radiation implies that T bh =
2
hole, not merely a quantity playing a role mathematically analogous to temperature in the
laws of black mechanics.
A
Consequently, from 8  =1 follows that S bh= represents the physical entropy
of the black hole. 4

➢ Hawking emission reduces the mass of the black hole and consequently the area A of its
event horizon(since A~M 2 )  violation of the second law of black hole mechanics.

Generalized second law:

[Entropy of matter outside the black hole]+[Black hole entropy] never decreases.
[Bekenstein, 1972 / Hawking, 1974]

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 Microscopic description
of black hole entropy

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 What does the black hole entropy represent microscopically?

● Jayne's information theory: The black hole entrpy is a measure for the number of
internal configurations accessible to the system, i.e. S =−∑ p n ln  pn  , where pn is the
n
probability for the n-th state accessible to the system to be occupied.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 What does the black hole entropy represent microscopically?

● Jayne's information theory: The black hole entrpy is a measure for the number of
internal configurations accessible to the system, i.e. S =−∑ p n ln  pn  , where pn is the
n
probability for the n-th state accessible to the system to be occupied.

Where are the degrees of freedom of a black hole?

Proposals:
● Could exist inside the black hole, in the singularity
● Could exist on the surface of the black hole

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 What does the black hole entropy represent microscopically?

● Jayne's information theory: The black hole entrpy is a measure for the number of
internal configurations accessible to the system, i.e. S =−∑ p n ln  pn  , where pn is the
n
probability for the n-th state accessible to the system to be occupied.

Where are the degrees of freedom of a black hole?

Proposals:
● Could exist inside the black hole, in the singularity
● Could exist on the surface of the black hole

How should the degrees of freedom look like?

● One needs a quantum theory of gravity

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 Information Loss Paradox

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

How can one extract information from black holes - Do black holes
destroy information?

Classical quantum mechanics says: A pure state (mixed) remains pure (mixed). ( Short
proof on the board)

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

How can one extract information from black holes - Do black holes
destroy information?

Classical quantum mechanics says: A pure state (mixed) remains pure (mixed). ( Short
proof on the board)

Information loss Paradox: An initially pure quantum state by collapsing to a black hole and
then evaporating completely evolves to a mixed state, i.e. information gets lost.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

How can one extract information from black holes - Do black holes
destroy information?

Classical quantum mechanics says: A pure state (mixed) remains pure (mixed). ( Short
proof on the board)

Information loss Paradox: An initially pure quantum state by collapsing to a black hole and
then evaporating completely evolves to a mixed state, i.e. information gets lost.

Violation of the unitary time evolution in quantum mechanics.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

How can one extract information from black holes - Do black holes
destroy information?

Classical quantum mechanics says: A pure state (mixed) remains pure (mixed). ( Short
proof on the board)

Information loss Paradox: An initially pure quantum state by collapsing to a black hole and
then evaporating completely evolves to a mixed state, i.e. information gets lost.

Violation of the unitary time evolution in quantum mechanics.

Alternatives:
● Give up unitary-Reformulation of the foundations of quantum mechanics
● Try to find mechanism such that unitary is preserved and thus information conserved.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Information comes out with the Hawking radiation ?

Mechanism:Information is stored in the correlations between the quanta emitted early and
the quanta emitted later on.

Drawback: Since the exterior of the black hole is not influenced by its interior, one has to
explain how the black hole manages to record the information about the quanta that it has
already emitted, so that it is able to induce these correlations.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

The information is retained by a stable black hole remnant?

Mechanism: The black hole evaporates and decreases. When it reaches the Planck
scale,quantum fluctuations dominate and the semi-classical calculation is no longer valid. The
black hole does not evaporate completely, but a remnant remains which carries all the
information that has fallen into the black hole.

Drawback:Since the initial black hole can be arbitrarily massive, the remnant must be
2
capable of carrying an arbitrarily large amount of information( ≈ M / M 2Planck ) .
This is hard to integrate in the Quantum Field Theory (QFT).

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

The information comes out “at the end”?

Mechanism:The radiation is thermal until the black hole reaches the Planck [Link] semi
classical calculation breaks down. Instead of creating a stable remnant, information starts to
leak out; it is in the correlations between the thermal quanta emitted earlier and the quanta
emitted “at the end ” .

Drawbacks: The time for the Planck-size remnant to disappear is t≈M 4 that is why
there would be remnants that live arbitrarily long. We have the same problems as with
absolutely stable remnants.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

The information escapes to a baby universe?

Mechanism:

Drawbacks:We do not have access to the information in our region of the “multiverse”.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

Summary:

● Macroscopically black holes are completely defined by their mass, total angular momentum
and total electric charge.
● Since black holes are” not completely black” there is a physical relation between surface
gravity and temperature, black hole area and entropy .The zeroth and the first law of
thermodynamics were found to hold for black holes,the second law was replaced by the GSL.
● We do not possess satisfactory microscopical description of the black hole entropy.
● Hawking's semi classical calculation led to the ILP which showed the incompatibility of
principles of GR with the foundations of QM.
● We have to give up the idea of unitary in quantum mechanics or if we want to keep the
classical QM we are challenged to find a mechanism by which information is not lost after it
falls into a black hole.
● There are many solutions, but all of them have serious drawbacks. In order to analyze better
these solutions one needs a quantum gravity theory, which we do not have at the moment.

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 Thank you for your attention!

Questions, please!

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner

 References:
1. Don Page “Hawking radiation and black hole thermodynamics” [ New Journal of Physics,
2005]
2. J. Bardeen, B. Carter, S. W. Hawking “The four laws of black hole mechanics” [Commun.
Math. Phys. 31, 161-170(1973)]
3. J. Bekenstein “Black holes and entropy” [Physical Review, 1972]
4. J. Bekenstein “Generalized second law of thermodynamics in black hole physics [Physical
Review, 1974]
5. S. W. Hawking “Black holes and thermodynamics” [Physical review, 1975]
6. Robert M. Wald “Space, Time and Gravity” ,The university of Chicago Press, Second Edition
1992
7. John Preskill “Do Black Holes Destroy Information?” [arXiv: hep-th/9209058v1, [Link].
1992]

11.05.2009 Pro-Seminar, Prof. Renner