Toward explaining black hole entropy quantization in loop quantum gravity
- Spinoza Institute/ITP, Utrecht University (Netherlands)
In a remarkable numerical analysis of the spectrum of states for a spherically symmetric black hole in loop quantum gravity, Corichi, Diaz-Polo and Fernandez-Borja found that the entropy of the black hole horizon increases in what resembles discrete steps as a function of area. In the present article we reformulate the combinatorial problem of counting horizon states in terms of paths through a certain space. This formulation sheds some light on the origins of this steplike behavior of the entropy. In particular, using a few extra assumptions we arrive at a formula that reproduces the observed step length to a few tenths of a percent accuracy. However, in our reformulation the periodicity ultimately arises as a property of some complicated process, the properties of which, in turn, depend on the properties of the area spectrum in loop quantum gravity in a rather opaque way. Thus, in some sense, a deep explanation of the observed periodicity is still lacking.
- OSTI ID:
- 21027876
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 76, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.76.104050; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Flux-area operator and black hole entropy
Remarks on the black hole entropy and Hawking spectrum in loop quantum gravity