Black Hole Entropy from Conformal Field Theory in Any Dimension

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1999 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.2828· OSTI ID:335622

Carlip, S ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, California 95616 (United States)

Restricted to a black hole horizon, the {open_quotes}gauge{close_quotes} algebra of surface deformations in general relativity contains a Virasoro subalgebra with a calculable central charge. The fields in any quantum theory of gravity must transform accordingly, i.e., they must admit a conformal field theory description. Applying Cardy{close_quote}s formula for the asymptotic density of states, I use this result to derive the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. This method is universal{emdash}it holds for any black hole, and requires no details of quantum gravity{emdash}but it is also explicitly statistical mechanical, based on counting microscopic states. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}

• Research Organization: University of California
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-91ER40674
• OSTI ID: 335622
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 82; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
ALGEBRA
BLACK HOLES
CONFORMAL INVARIANCE
ENTROPY
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
QUANTUM GRAVITY