Search Results (14)

It is often assumed that the maximum number of independent states a black hole may contain is $N_{BH}=e^{S_{BH}}$, where $S_{BH}=A/4$ is the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy and A is the horizon area in Planck units. I present a simple and straightforward argument showing that the number of states that can be distinguished by local observers inside the hole must be greater than this number. Full article

The physical roots, interpretation, controversies, and precise meaning of the Landauer principle are surveyed. The Landauer principle is a physical principle defining the lower theoretical limit of energy consumption necessary for computation. It states that an irreversible change in information stored in a computer, such as merging two computational paths, dissipates a minimum amount of heat $k_{B}Tln2$ per a bit of information to its surroundings. The Landauer principle is discussed in the context of fundamental physical limiting principles, such as the Abbe diffraction limit, the Margolus–Levitin limit, and the Bekenstein limit. Synthesis of the Landauer bound with the Abbe, Margolus–Levitin, and Bekenstein limits yields the minimal time of computation, which scales as ${\tau }_{min}~\frac{h}{k_{B}T}$. Decreasing the temperature of a thermal bath will decrease the energy consumption of a single computation, but in parallel, it will slow the computation. The Landauer principle bridges John Archibald Wheeler’s “it from bit” paradigm and thermodynamics. Experimental verifications of the Landauer principle are surveyed. The interrelation between thermodynamic and logical irreversibility is addressed. Generalization of the Landauer principle to quantum and non-equilibrium systems is addressed. The Landauer principle represents the powerful heuristic principle bridging physics, information theory, and computer engineering. Full article

In this contribution, motivated by the quest to understand cosmic acceleration, based on the theory of Hořava–Lifshitz and on the branch-cut gravitation, we investigate the effects of non-commutativity of a mini-superspace of variables obeying the Poisson algebra on the structure of the branch-cut scale factor and on the acceleration of the Universe. We follow the guiding lines of a previous approach, which we complement to allow a symmetrical treatment of the Poisson algebraic variables and eliminate ambiguities in the ordering of quantum operators. On this line of investigation, we propose a phase-space transformation that generates a super-Hamiltonian, expressed in terms of new variables, which describes the behavior of a Wheeler–DeWitt wave function of the Universe within a non-commutative algebraic quantum gravity formulation. The formal structure of the super-Hamiltonian allows us to identify one of the new variables with a modified branch-cut quantum scale factor, which incorporates, as a result of the imposed variable transformations, in an underlying way, elements of the non-commutative algebra. Due to its structural character, this algebraic structure allows the identification of the other variable as the dual quantum counterpart of the modified branch-cut scale factor, with both quantities scanning reciprocal spaces. Using the iterative Range–Kutta–Fehlberg numerical analysis for solving differential equations, without resorting to computational approximations, we obtained numerical solutions, with the boundary conditions of the wave function of the Universe based on the Bekenstein criterion, which provides an upper limit for entropy. Our results indicate the acceleration of the early Universe in the context of the non-commutative branch-cut gravity formulation. These results have implications when confronted with information theory; so to accommodate gravitational effects close to the Planck scale, a formulation à la Heisenberg’s Generalized Uncertainty Principle in Quantum Mechanics involving the energy and entropy of the primordial Universe is proposed. Full article

Hawking radiation is an essential property of the quantum black hole. It results in the information loss paradox and provides an important clue with regard to the unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity. In previous work, the boundary scalar fields on the horizon of black holes were used to determine the microstates of BTZ black holes and Kerr black holes. They account for Bekenstein–Hawking entropy. In this paper, we show that the Hawking radiation can also be derived from those scalar fields. Hawking radiation is a mixture of the thermal radiation of right- and left-moving sectors at different temperatures. Based on this result, for static BTZ black holes and Schwarzschild black holes, we propose a simple solution for the information loss paradox; i.e., the Hawking radiation is pure due to its entanglement between the left-moving sector and the right-moving sector. This entanglement may be detected in an analogue black hole in the near future. Full article

A new final endpoint of complete gravitational collapse is proposed. By extending the concept of Bose–Einstein condensation to gravitational systems, a static, spherically symmetric solution to Einstein’s equations is obtained, characterized by an interior de Sitter region of $p=-\rho$ gravitational vacuum condensate and an exterior Schwarzschild geometry of arbitrary total mass M. These are separated by a phase boundary with a small but finite thickness ℓ, replacing both the Schwarzschild and de Sitter classical horizons. The resulting collapsed cold, compact object has no singularities, no event horizons, and a globally defined Killing time. Its entropy is maximized under small fluctuations and is given by the standard hydrodynamic entropy of the thin shell, which is of order $k_B\ell Mc/\hslash$, instead of the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy, $S_{BH}=4\pi k_{B}G{M}^2/\hslash c$. Unlike BHs, a collapsed star of this kind is consistent with quantum theory, thermodynamically stable, and suffers from no information paradox. Full article

By entangling soft massless particles, one can create an arbitrarily large amount of entanglement entropy that carries an arbitrarily small amount of energy. By dropping this entropy into the black hole (b.h.), one can increase the b.h. entropy by an amount that violates the Bekenstein bound or any other reasonable bound, leading to a version of the b.h. information paradox that does not involve Hawking radiation. Among the many proposed solutions for the standard b.h. information paradox with Hawking radiation, only a few can also resolve this version without Hawking radiation. The assumption that both versions should be resolved in the same way significantly helps to reduce the number of possible resolutions. Full article

In this paper, we present a derivation of the black hole area entropy with the relationship between entropy and information. The curved space of a black hole allows objects to be imaged in the same way as camera lenses. The maximal information that a black hole can gain is limited by both the Compton wavelength of the object and the diameter of the black hole. When an object falls into a black hole, its information disappears due to the no-hair theorem, and the entropy of the black hole increases correspondingly. The area entropy of a black hole can thus be obtained, which indicates that the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy is information entropy rather than thermodynamic entropy. The quantum corrections of black hole entropy are also obtained according to the limit of Compton wavelength of the captured particles, which makes the mass of a black hole naturally quantized. Our work provides an information-theoretic perspective for understanding the nature of black hole entropy. Full article

This article is dedicated to establishing a novel approach to the cosmological constant, in which it is treated as an eigenvalue of a certain Sturm–Liouville problem. The key to this approach lies in the proper formulation of physically relevant boundary conditions. Our suggestion in this regard is to utilize the “holographic boundary condition”, under which the cosmological horizon can only bear a natural (i.e., non-fractional) number of bits of information. Under this framework, we study the general d-dimensional problem and derive the general formula for the discrete spectrum of a positive energy density of vacuum. For the particular case of two dimensions, the resultant problem can be analytically solved in the degenerate hypergeometric functions, so it is possible to define explicitly a self-action potential, which determines the fields of matter in the model. We conclude the article by taking a look at the d-dimensional model of a fractal horizon, where the Bekenstein’s formula for the entropy gets replaced by the Barrow entropy. This gives us a chance to discuss a recently realized problem of possible existence of naked singularities in the $D\ne 3$ models. Full article

We describe cosmic expansion as correlated with the standpoints of local observers’ co-moving horizons. In keeping with relational quantum mechanics, which claims that quantum systems are only meaningful in the context of measurements, we suggest that information gets ergodically “diluted” in our isotropic and homogeneous expanding Universe, so that an observer detects just a limited amount of the total cosmic bits. The reduced bit perception is due the decreased density of information inside the expanding cosmic volume in which the observer resides. Further, we show that the second law of thermodynamics can be correlated with cosmic expansion through a relational mechanism, because the decrease in information detected by a local observer in an expanding Universe is concomitant with an increase in perceived cosmic thermodynamic entropy, via the Bekenstein bound and the Laudauer principle. Reversing the classical scheme from thermodynamic entropy to information, we suggest that the cosmological constant of the quantum vacuum, which is believed to provoke the current cosmic expansion, could be one of the sources of the perceived increases in thermodynamic entropy. We conclude that entropies, including the entangled entropy of the recently developed framework of quantum computational spacetime, might not describe independent properties, but rather relations among systems and observers. Full article

This paper explores an event-based version of quantum mechanics which differs from the commonly accepted one, even though the usual elements of quantum formalism, e.g., the Hilbert space, are maintained. This version introduces as primary element the occurrence of micro-events induced by usual physical (mechanical, electromagnetic and so on) interactions. These micro-events correspond to state reductions and are identified with quantum jumps, already introduced by Bohr in his atomic model and experimentally well established today. Macroscopic bodies are defined as clusters of jumps; the emergence of classicality thus becomes understandable and time honoured paradoxes can be solved. In particular, we discuss the cat paradox in this context. Quantum jumps are described as temporal localizations of physical quantities; if the information associated with these localizations has to be finite, two time scales spontaneously appear: an upper cosmological scale and a lower scale of elementary “particles”. This allows the interpretation of the Bekenstein limit like a particular informational constraint on the manifestation of a micro-event in the cosmos it belongs. The topic appears relevant in relation to recent discussions on possible spatiotemporal constraints on quantum computing. Full article

Different notions of entropy can be identified in different scientific communities: (i) the thermodynamic sense; (ii) the information sense; (iii) the statistical sense; (iv) the disorder sense; and (v) the homogeneity sense. Especially the “disorder sense” and the “homogeneity sense” relate to and require the notion of space and time. One of the few prominent examples relating entropy to both geometry and space is the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of a Black Hole. Although this was developed for describing a physical object—a black hole—having a mass, a momentum, a temperature, an electrical charge, etc., absolutely no information about this object’s attributes can ultimately be found in the final formulation. In contrast, the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy in its dimensionless form is a positive quantity only comprising geometric attributes such as an area A—the area of the event horizon of the black hole, a length L_P—the Planck length, and a factor 1/4. A purely geometric approach to this formulation will be presented here. The approach is based on a continuous 3D extension of the Heaviside function which draws on the phase-field concept of diffuse interfaces. Entropy enters into the local and statistical description of contrast or gradient distributions in the transition region of the extended Heaviside function definition. The structure of the Bekenstein-Hawking formulation is ultimately derived for a geometric sphere based solely on geometric-statistical considerations. Full article

Different notions of entropy can be identified in different communities: (i) the thermodynamic sense; (ii) the information sense; (iii) the statistical sense; (iv) the disorder sense; and (v) the homogeneity sense. Especially the “disorder sense” and the “homogeneity sense” relate to and require the notion of space and time. One of the few prominent examples relating entropy to geometry and to space is the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of a Black Hole. Although being developed for the description of a physics object—a black hole—having a mass; a momentum; a temperature; a charge etc. absolutely no information about these attributes of this object can eventually be found in the final formula. In contrast; the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy in its dimensionless form is a positive quantity only comprising geometric attributes like an area A which is the area of the event horizon of the black hole-, a length L_P—which is the Planck length-and a factor 1/4. A purely geometric approach towards this formula will be presented. The approach is based on a continuous 3D extension of the Heaviside function; with this extension drawing on the phase-field concept of diffuse interfaces. Entropy enters into the local; statistical description of contrast respectively gradient distributions in the transition region of the extended Heaviside function definition. The structure of the Bekenstein-Hawking formula eventually is derived for a geometric sphere based on mere geometric-statistic considerations. Full article

Blackbody radiation, emitted from a furnace and described by a Planck spectrum, contains (on average) an entropy of $3.9\pm 2.5$ bits per photon. Since normal physical burning is a unitary process, this amount of entropy is compensated by the same amount of “hidden information” in correlations between the photons. The importance of this result lies in the posterior extension of this argument to the Hawking radiation from black holes, demonstrating that the assumption of unitarity leads to a perfectly reasonable entropy/information budget for the evaporation process. In order to carry out this calculation, we adopt a variant of the “average subsystem” approach, but consider a tripartite pure system that includes the influence of the rest of the universe, and which allows “young” black holes to still have a non-zero entropy; which we identify with the standard Bekenstein entropy. Full article

An elementary derivation of the Black Hole Entropy area relation in any dimension is provided based on the New Extended Scale Relativity Principle and Shannon's Information Entropy. The well known entropy-area linear Bekenstein-Hawking relation is derived. We discuss briefly how to derive the most recently obtained Logarithmic and higher order corrections to the linear entropy-area law in full agreement with the standard results in the literature. Full article