arXiv subjects

Christopher Eling

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher Eling.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Reversible and Irreversible Spacetime Thermodynamics for General Brans-Dicke Theories

We derive the equations of motion for Palatini F(R) gravity by applying an entropy balance law T dS= δQ+δN to the local Rindler wedge that can be constructed at each point of spacetime. Unlike previous results for metric F(R), there is no bulk viscosity term in the irreversible flux δN. Both theories are equivalent to particular cases of Brans-Dicke scalar-tensor gravity. We show that the thermodynamical approach can be used ab initio also for this class of gravitational theories and it is able to provide both the metric and scalar equations of motion. In this case, the presence of an additional scalar degree of freedom and the requirement for it to be dynamical naturally imply a separate contribution from the scalar field to the heat flux δQ. Therefore, the gravitational flux previously associated to a bulk viscosity term in metric F(R) turns out to be actually part of the reversible thermodynamics. Hence we conjecture that only the shear viscosity associated with Hartle-Hawking dissipation should be associated with irreversible thermodynamics.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Membrane Paradigm and Holographic Hydrodynamics

We discuss recent work showing that in certain cases the membrane paradigm equations governing the dynamics of black hole horizons can be recast as relativistic conservation law equations. In the context of gauge/gravity dualities, these equations are interpreted as defining the viscous hydrodynamics of a holographically dual relativistic field theory. Using this approach, one can derive the viscous transport coefficients and the form of the entropy current for field theories dual to gravity plus matter fields.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Holographic Non-Abelian Charged Hydrodynamics from the Dynamics of Null Horizons

We analyze the dynamics of a four-dimensional null hypersurface in a five-dimensional bulk spacetime with Einstein-Yang-Mills fields. In an appropriate ansatz, the projection of the field equations onto the hypersurface takes the form of conservation laws for relativistic hydrodynamics with global non-abelian charges. A Chern-Simons term in the bulk action corresponds to anomalies in the global charges, with a vorticity term arising in the hydrodynamics. We derive the entropy current and obtain unique expressions for some of the leading-order transport coefficients (in the abelian case, all of them) for arbitrary equations of state. As a special case and a concrete example, we discuss the event horizon of a boosted Einstein-Yang-Mills black brane in an asymptotically Anti-de-Sitter spacetime. The evolution equations in that case describe the hydrodynamic limit of a conformal field theory with anomalous global non-abelian charges on the Anti-de-Sitter boundary.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Gravity and a Geometrization of Turbulence: An Intriguing Correspondence

The dynamics of fluids is a long standing challenge that remained as an unsolved problem for centuries. Understanding its main features, chaos and turbulence, is likely to provide an understanding of the principles and non-linear dynamics of a large class of systems far from equilibrium. We consider a conceptually new viewpoint to study these features using black hole dynamics. Since the gravitational field is characterized by a curved geometry, the gravity variables provide a geometrical framework for studying the dynamics of fluids: A geometrization of turbulence.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

The universal viscosity to entropy density ratio from entanglement

We present evidence that the universal Kovtun-Son-Starinets shear viscosity to entropy density ratio of 1/4πcan be associated with a Rindler causal horizon in flat spacetime. Since there is no known holographic (gauge/gravity) duality for this spacetime, a natural microscopic explanation for this viscosity is in the peculiar properties of quantum entanglement. In particular, it is well-known that the Minkowski vacuum state is a thermal state and carries an area entanglement entropy density in the Rindler spacetime. Based on the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, we expect a similar notion of viscosity arising from vacuum fluctuations. Therefore, we propose a holographic Kubo formula in terms of a two-point function of the stress tensor of matter fields in the bulk. We calculate this viscosity assuming a minimally coupled scalar field theory and find that the ratio with respect to the entanglement entropy density is exactly 1/4πin four dimensions. The issues that arise in extending this result to non-minimally coupled scalar fields, higher spins, and higher dimensions provide interesting hints about the relationship between entanglement entropy and black hole entropy.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Black Holes in Einstein-Aether Theory

We study black hole solutions in general relativity coupled to a unit timelike vector field dubbed the "aether". To be causally isolated a black hole interior must trap matter fields as well as all aether and metric modes. The theory possesses spin-0, spin-1, and spin-2 modes whose speeds depend on four coupling coefficients. We find that the full three-parameter family of local spherically symmetric static solutions is always regular at a metric horizon, but only a two-parameter subset is regular at a spin-0 horizon. Asymptotic flatness imposes another condition, leaving a one-parameter family of regular black holes. These solutions are compared to the Schwarzschild solution using numerical integration for a special class of coupling coefficients. They are very close to Schwarzschild outside the horizon for a wide range of couplings, and have a spacelike singularity inside, but differ inside quantitatively. Some quantities constructed from the metric and aether oscillate in the interior as the singularity is approached. The aether is at rest at spatial infinity and flows into the black hole, but differs significantly from the the 4-velocity of freely-falling geodesics.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Relativistic CFT Hydrodynamics from the Membrane Paradigm

We use the membrane paradigm to analyze the horizon dynamics of a uniformly boosted black brane in a (d+2)-dimensional asymptotically Anti-de-Sitter space-time and a Rindler acceleration horizon in (d+2)-dimensional Minkowski space-time. We show that in these cases the horizon dynamics is governed by the relativistic CFT hydrodynamics equations. The fluid velocity and temperature correspond to the normal to the horizon and to the surface gravity, respectively. The second law of thermodynamics for the fluid is mapped into the area increase theorem of General Relativity. The analysis is applicable, in general, to perturbations around a stationary horizon, when the scale of variations of the macroscopic fields is much larger than the inverse of the temperature. We show that the non-relativistic limit of our analysis yields the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Spherical Solutions in Einstein-Aether Theory: Static Aether and Stars

The time independent spherically symmetric solutions of General Relativity (GR) coupled to a dynamical unit timelike vector are studied. We find there is a three-parameter family of solutions with this symmetry. Imposing asymptotic flatness restricts to two parameters, and requiring that the aether be aligned with the timelike Killing field further restricts to one parameter, the total mass. These "static aether" solutions are given analytically up to solution of a transcendental equation. The positive mass solutions have spatial geometry with a minimal area 2-sphere, inside of which the area diverges at a curvature singularity occurring at an extremal Killing horizon that lies at a finite affine parameter along a radial null geodesic. Regular perfect fluid star solutions are shown to exist with static aether exteriors, and the range of stability for constant density stars is identified.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Energy in the Einstein-Aether Theory

We investigate the energy of a theory with a unit vector field (the "aether") coupled to gravity. Both the Weinberg and Einstein type energy-momentum pseudotensors are employed. In the linearized theory we find expressions for the energy density of the 5 wave modes. The requirement that the modes have positive energy is then used to constrain the theory. In the fully non-linear theory we compute the total energy of an asymptotically flat spacetime. The resulting energy expression is modified by the presence of the aether due to the non-zero value of the unit vector at infinity and its 1/r falloff. The question of non-linear energy positivity is also discussed, but not resolved.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Neutron stars in Einstein-aether theory

As current and future experiments probe strong gravitational regimes around neutron stars and black holes, it is desirable to have theoretically sound alternatives to general relativity against which to test observations. Here we study the consequences of one such generalization, Einstein-aether theory, for the properties of non-rotating neutron stars. This theory has a parameter range that satisfies all current weak-field tests. We find that within this range it leads to lower maximum neutron star masses, as well as larger surface redshifts at a particular mass, for a given nuclear equation of state. For non-rotating black holes and neutron stars, the innermost stable circular orbit is only slightly modified in this theory.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

The Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations From Black Hole Membrane Dynamics

We consider the dynamics of a d+1 space-time dimensional membrane defined by the event horizon of a black brane in (d+2)-dimensional asymptotically Anti-de-Sitter space-time and show that it is described by the d-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations of non-relativistic fluids. The fluid velocity corresponds to the normal to the horizon while the rate of change in the fluid energy is equal to minus the rate of change in the horizon cross-sectional area. The analysis is performed in the Membrane Paradigm approach to black holes and it holds for a general non-singular null hypersurface, provided a large scale hydrodynamic limit exists. Thus we find, for instance, that the dynamics of the Rindler acceleration horizon is also described by the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The result resembles the relation between the Burgers and KPZ equations and we discuss its implications.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Hydrodynamics of spacetime and vacuum viscosity

It has recently been shown that the Einstein equation can be derived by demanding a non-equilibrium entropy balance law dS = dQ/T + dS_i hold for all local acceleration horizons through each point in spacetime. The entropy change dS is proportional to the change in horizon area while dQ and T are the energy flux across the horizon and Unruh temperature seen by an accelerating observer just inside the horizon. The internal entropy production term dS_i is proportional to the squared shear of the horizon and the ratio of the proportionality constant to the area entropy density is \hbar/4π. Here we will show that this derivation can be reformulated in the language of hydrodynamics. We postulate that the vacuum thermal state in the Rindler wedge of spacetime obeys the holographic principle. Hydrodynamic perturbations of this state exist and are manifested in the dynamics of a stretched horizon fluid at the horizon boundary. Using the equations of hydrodynamics we derive the entropy balance law and show the Einstein equation is a consequence of vacuum hydrodynamics. This result implies that \hbar/4πis the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio of the local vacuum thermal state. The value \hbar/4πhas attracted much attention as the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio for all gauge theories with an Einstein gravity dual. It has also been conjectured as the universal lower bound on the ratio. We argue that our picture of the vacuum thermal state is consistent with the physics of the gauge/gravity dualities and then consider possible applications to open questions.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Numerical simulations of gravitational collapse in Einstein-aether theory

We study gravitational collapse of a spherically symmetric scalar field in Einstein-aether theory (general relativity coupled to a dynamical unit timelike vector field). The initial value formulation is developed, and numerical simulations are performed. The collapse produces regular, stationary black holes, as long as the aether coupling constants are not too large. For larger couplings a finite area singularity occurs. These results are shown to be consistent with the stationary solutions found previously.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2007

Lorentz violation and perpetual motion

We show that any Lorentz violating theory with two or more propagation speeds is in conflict with the generalized second law of black hole thermodynamics. We do this by identifying a classical energy-extraction method, analogous to the Penrose process, which would decrease the black hole entropy. Although the usual definitions of black hole entropy are ambiguous in this context, we require only very mild assumptions about its dependence on the mass. This extends the result found by Dubovsky and Sibiryakov, which uses the Hawking effect and applies only if the fields with different propagation speeds interact just through gravity. We also point out instabilities that could interfere with their black hole {\it perpetuum mobile}, but argue that these can be neglected if the black hole mass is sufficiently large.

hep-th↗

arXiv2006

Two-dimensional gravity with a dynamical aether

We investigate the two-dimensional behavior of gravity coupled to a dynamical unit timelike vector field, i.e. "Einstein-aether theory". The classical solutions of this theory in two dimensions depend on one coupling constant. When this coupling is positive the only solutions are (i) flat spacetime with constant aether, (ii) de Sitter or anti-de Sitter spacetimes with a uniformly accelerated unit vector invariant under a two-dimensional subgroup of SO(2,1) generated by a boost and a null rotation, and (iii) a non-constant curvature spacetime that has no Killing symmetries and contains singularities. In this case the sign of the curvature is determined by whether the coupling is less or greater than one. When instead the coupling is negative only solutions (i) and (iii) are present. This classical study of the behavior of Einstein-aether theory in 1+1 dimensions may provide a starting point for further investigations into semiclassical and fully quantum toy models of quantum gravity with a dynamical preferred frame.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2006

Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics of Spacetime

It has previously been shown that the Einstein equation can be derived from the requirement that the Clausius relation dS = dQ/T hold for all local acceleration horizons through each spacetime point, where dS is one quarter the horizon area change in Planck units, and dQ and T are the energy flux across the horizon and Unruh temperature seen by an accelerating observer just inside the horizon. Here we show that a curvature correction to the entropy that is polynomial in the Ricci scalar requires a non-equilibrium treatment. The corresponding field equation is derived from the entropy balance relation dS =dQ/T+dS_i, where dS_i is a bulk viscosity entropy production term that we determine by imposing energy-momentum conservation. Entropy production can also be included in pure Einstein theory by allowing for shear viscosity of the horizon.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Static post-Newtonian equivalence of GR and gravity with a dynamical preferred frame

A generally covariant extension of general relativity (GR) in which a dynamical unit timelike vector field is coupled to the metric is studied in the asymptotic weak field limit of spherically symmetric static solutions. The two post-Newtonian parameters known as the Eddington-Robertson-Schiff parameters are found to be identical to those in the case of pure GR, except for some non-generic values of the coefficients in the Lagrangian.

gr-qc↗