Near horizon limit and Hawking Temperature of the horizon

In summary, the Hawking temperature of an event horizon is introduced by taking the near-horizon limit of the BH metric and performing a Wick rotation of the time coordinate. This results in the requirement for the Euclidean time to be periodic, which is related to the temperature of the horizon. This concept is explained in further detail in the referenced sources and can be applied to Schwarzschild and gravitational instantons.
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ShayanJ
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One way that people introduce the Hawking temperature of an event horizon, is by taking the near-horizon limit of the BH metric and then do a Wick rotation of the time coordinate. Then, the regularity of the metric requires that the Euclidean time to be periodic. But how can this give us the temperature of the horizon? What's the relation between the periodicity of the Euclidean time and temperature?

Thanks
 
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See note 3 and the path integral sections in the following course series:
http://www.hartmanhep.net/topics2015/

Alternatively, the full reasoning is given in this lecture (try to understand the Rindler path integral case first)
https://arxiv.org/abs/1409.1231

It is a peculiar but deep fact of gravity that an identification can be made between the thermal density matrix of finite temperature QFT and the reduced density matrix arrived from a computation of the gravitational path integral of gravity in Rindler space when you trace over the Rindler wedges.
 
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ShayanJ said:
One way that people introduce the Hawking temperature of an event horizon, is by taking the near-horizon limit of the BH metric and then do a Wick rotation of the time coordinate.

By the way, you don't have to take the near-horizon limit first! It's just often easier that way.
 
  • #5
Ben Niehoff said:
By the way, you don't have to take the near-horizon limit first! It's just often easier that way.
Could you give a reference where it is done that way at some detail?
 
  • #6
ShayanJ said:
Could you give a reference where it is done that way at some detail?

Try it with Schwarzschild, it shouldn't be hard. Also try looking up "gravitational instantons".
 
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Ben Niehoff said:
Try it with Schwarzschild, it shouldn't be hard. Also try looking up "gravitational instantons".
Looks like the transformation that takes ## ds^2=\frac{dr^2}{1-\frac{2m}r}+(1-\frac{2m}r)dt_E^2 ## to ## ds^2=d\rho^2+\rho^2 dT_E^2 ## is:
## \left\{ \begin{array}{c}\rho=r \sqrt{1-\frac{2m}r}-m\ln\left( \frac{\sqrt{1-\frac{2m}r}-1}{\sqrt{1-\frac{2m}r}+1} \right) \\ \rho T_E=\sqrt{1-\frac{2m}r}t_E\end{array}\right. ##
 

FAQ: Near horizon limit and Hawking Temperature of the horizon

What is the near horizon limit?

The near horizon limit refers to the region very close to the event horizon of a black hole. It is the boundary beyond which objects or information cannot escape the gravitational pull of the black hole.

What is the event horizon of a black hole?

The event horizon is the point of no return for objects or information that get too close to a black hole. It is the boundary beyond which the escape velocity is greater than the speed of light, making it impossible for anything to escape.

What is the Hawking temperature of the horizon?

The Hawking temperature of the horizon is the theoretical temperature of a black hole's event horizon. It is named after physicist Stephen Hawking, who first proposed that black holes emit radiation and have a temperature, even though they are known for absorbing all matter and energy that enters them.

How is the Hawking temperature of the horizon calculated?

The Hawking temperature of the horizon is calculated using the formula T = hbar c^3 / (8 pi G M), where hbar is the reduced Planck constant, c is the speed of light, G is the gravitational constant, and M is the mass of the black hole. This temperature is inversely proportional to the mass of the black hole, meaning that smaller black holes have higher temperatures.

What is the significance of the Hawking temperature of the horizon?

The Hawking temperature of the horizon is significant because it is one of the first indications of the connection between black holes and thermodynamics. It also has implications for the information paradox, as it suggests that black holes may not be completely black and can emit radiation, potentially leading to the loss of information. Additionally, the Hawking temperature plays a role in the study of black hole evaporation and the lifespan of black holes.

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