The Temperature/Entropy Connection for Horizons, Massless Particle Scattering, and the Origin of Locality

TL;DR

This paper discusses a holographic quantum gravity model linking horizon thermodynamics, particle scattering, and the emergence of locality, providing insights into black hole entropy, the firewall paradox, and early universe modeling.

Contribution

It introduces a holographic space-time framework connecting horizon properties, scattering processes, and the origin of locality in quantum gravity, with applications to black holes and cosmology.

Findings

Relation between asymptotic energy and constraints explains black hole entropy.

Model accounts for black hole formation in particle scattering.

Constructs a finite early universe model with inflation and localized excitations.

Abstract

I explain, in non-technical terms, the basic ideas of Holographic Space-time (HST) models of quantum gravity (QG). The key feature is that the degrees of freedom (DOF) of QG, localized in a finite causal diamond are restrictions of an algebra of asymptotic currents, describing flows of quantum numbers out to null infinity in Minkowski space, with zero energy density on the sphere at infinity. Finite energy density states are constrained states of these DOF and the resulting relation between asymptotic energy and the number of constraints, explains the relation between black hole entropy and energy, as well as the critical energy/impact parameter regime in which particle scattering leads to black hole formation. The results of a general class of models, implementing these principles, are described, and applied to understand the firewall paradox, and to construct a finite model of the early universe, which implements inflation with only the minimal fine tuning needed to obtain a universe containing localized excitations more complex than large black holes.