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Notes on space-time thermodynamics and the observer-dependence of entropy

Marolf, Donald; Minic, Djordje; Ross, Simon F.

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Authors

Donald Marolf

Djordje Minic



Abstract

Because of the Unruh effect, accelerated and inertial observers differ in their description of a given quantum state. The implications of this effect are explored for the entropy assigned by such observers to localized objects that may cross the associated Rindler horizon. It is shown that the assigned entropies differ radically in the limit where the number of internal states n becomes large. In particular, the entropy assigned by the accelerated observer is a bounded function of n. General arguments are given along with explicit calculations for free fields. The implications for discussions of the generalized second law and proposed entropy bounds are also discussed.

Citation

Marolf, D., Minic, D., & Ross, S. F. (2004). Notes on space-time thermodynamics and the observer-dependence of entropy. Physical Review D, Particles and fields, 69(6), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.69.064006

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2004-03
Deposit Date Feb 26, 2008
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Physical Review D, Particles and fields
Print ISSN 0556-2821
Electronic ISSN 1089-4918
Publisher American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 69
Issue 6
DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.69.064006
Publisher URL http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRD/v69/e064006

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Copyright Statement
© 2004 by The American Physical Society. All rights reserved.





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