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Enthalpy and the mechanics of AdS black holes
Physics Department Faculty Publication Series
  • David Kastor, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • Sourya Ray
  • Jennie Traschen, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Publication Date
2009
Abstract

We present geometric derivations of the Smarr formula for static AdS black holes and an expanded first law that includes variations in the cosmological constant. These two results are further related by a scaling argument based on Euler's theorem. The key new ingredient in the constructions is a two-form potential for the static Killing field. Surface integrals of the Killing potential determine the coefficient of the variation of Λ in the first law. This coefficient is proportional to a finite, effective volume for the region outside the AdS black hole horizon, which can also be interpreted as minus the volume excluded from a spatial slice by the black hole horizon. This effective volume also contributes to the Smarr formula. Since Λ is naturally thought of as a pressure, the new term in the first law has the form of effective volume times change in pressure that arises in the variation of the enthalpy in classical thermodynamics. This and related arguments suggest that the mass of an AdS black hole should be interpreted as the enthalpy of the spacetime.

Comments
This is the pre-published version harvested from ArXiv. The published version is located at http://iopscience.iop.org/0264-9381/26/19/195011/
Citation Information
David Kastor, Sourya Ray and Jennie Traschen. "Enthalpy and the mechanics of AdS black holes" Vol. 26 Iss. 19 (2009)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/david_kastor/25/