Introduction to Black Hole Thermodynamics

2024/12/21 by Edward Witten, Witten, Edward · 5 voices · 28 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Black hole (networking) #Black hole thermodynamics #Computer science #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Entropy (arrow of time) #Physics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Statistical physics #Theoretical physics #Thermodynamics #gr-qc #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2412.16795

published in arXiv (Cornell University) (Cornell University)

openalex publication_date 2024/12/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

These notes aim to provide an introduction to the basics of black hole thermodynamics. After explaining Bekenstein's original proposal that black holes have entropy, we discuss Hawking's discovery of black hole radiation, its analog for Rindler space in the Unruh effect, the Euclidean approach to black hole thermodynamics, some basics about von Neumann entropy and its applications, the Ryu-Takayanagi formula, and the nature of a white hole.

Citations

• A Mini-Introduction To Information Theory
• Cool horizons for entangled black holes

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• Holographic Extended Thermodynamics of deformed AdS-Schwarzschild black hole
• Critical Non-Abelian Vortex String and 2D N=2 Black Hole
• Thermodynamic and quantum fluctuations of horizon area
• Extended thermodynamical topology of black hole
• Thermodynamics of a Spherically Symmetric Causal Diamond in Minkowski Spacetime
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• Phase transitions in a holographic superfluid model with non-linear terms beyond the probe limit
• New perspectives on the irregular singular point of the wave equation for a massive scalar field in Schwarzschild spacetime
• Extended Tsallis-Cirto entropy for black and white holes
• Euclidean Thermodynamics and Lyapunov Exponents of Einstein-Power-Yang-Mills AdS Black Holes
• Lectures on the Bondi--Metzner--Sachs group and related topics in infrared physics
• Information-Theoretic Black Hole Entropy I: Beyond the Area Law
• Black hole [wikipedia]

Discussions

• Introduction to Black Hole Thermodynamics Edward Witten arxiv.org/abs/2412.16795 [bsky, 7 points, 0 comments]
• I think so; this is related to the scrambling time of a black hole, which is supposed to be very small. Witten briefly discusses this at the end of his introduction to BH thermodynamics (p 119) [bsky, 2 points, 1 comments]
• Nothing better than a light reading in the holiday season. ;) arxiv.org/abs/2412.16795 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
• Witten spent a lifetime trying the understand the laws of Nature and now is writing lecture notes about everything he understood. What a man. [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
• Extraordinary must read by Prof Edward Witten, reminds one of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar "The black holes of nature are the most perfect macroscopic objects there are in the universe: the only ele [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]

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