Black Hole Entropy from Conformal Field Theory in Any Dimension
1998/12/31 by S. Carlip · 37 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algebra over a field #Algebra representation #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Black hole (networking) #Black hole thermodynamics #Central charge #Conformal field theory #Conformal map #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Entropy (arrow of time) #Geometry #Mathematical physics #Mathematics #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Physics #Pure mathematics #Quantum #Quantum gravity #Quantum mechanics #Theoretical physics #Virasoro algebra #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.82.2828
published as Phys.Rev.Lett.82:2828-2831,1999 · 9 pages, LaTeX, no figures. Slightly shortened and polished for journal; no significant changes in substance
arxiv created 1999/01/08 · openalex publication_date 1999/04/05 · arxiv updated 2010/04/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract
Restricted to a black hole horizon, the ``gauge'' 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's formula for the asymptotic density of states, I use this result to derive the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. This method is universal---it holds for any black hole, and requires no details of quantum gravity---but it is also explicitly statistical mechanical, based on counting microscopic states.
Citations
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