Thermodynamics of horizons: A comparison of Schwarzschild, Rindler and de Sitter spacetimes

The notions of temperature, entropy and 'evaporation', usually associated with spacetimes with horizons, are analyzed using general approach and the following results, applicable to different spacetimes, are obtained at one go. (i) The concept of temperature associated with the horizon is derived in a unified manner and is shown to arise from purely kinematic considerations. (ii) QFT near any horizon is mapped to a conformal field theory without introducing concepts from string theory. (iii) For spherically symmetric spacetimes (in D = 1 + 3) with a horizon at r = l, the partition function has the generic form Z proportional to exp[S - betaE], where S = (1/4)4pil(2) and \E\ = (l/2). This analysis reproduces the conventional result for the black hole spacetimes and provides a simple and consistent interpretation of entropy and energy E = -(1/2)H-1 for deSitter spacetime. The classical Einstein's equations for this spacetime can be expressed as a thermodynamic identity, TdS - dE = PdV with the same variables. (iv) For the Rindler spacetime the entropy per unit transverse area turns out to be (1/4) while the energy is zero. (v) In the case of a Schwarzschild black hole there exist quantum states (like Unruh vacuum) which are not invariant under time reversal and can describe black hole evaporation. There also exist quantum states (like Hartle-Hawking vacuum) in which temperature is well-defined but there is no flow of radiation to infinity. In the case of deSitter universe or Rindler patch in flat spacetime, one usually uses quantum states analogous to Hartle-Hawking vacuum and obtains a temperature without the corresponding notion of evaporation. It is, however, possible to construct the analogues of Unruh vacuum state in the other cases as well. The implications are briefly discussed.