Virasoro hair and entropy for axisymmetric Killing horizons

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the near-horizon region of axisymmetric Killing horizons exhibits a 2D conformal symmetry, with implications for understanding black hole entropy through a holographic conformal field theory approach.

Contribution

It extends previous conformal symmetry constructions to generic Killing horizons, providing a holographic framework that links horizon entropy to a 2D conformal field theory.

Findings

Conformal symmetry algebra with central charges proportional to horizon area

Agreement of Cardy entropy with Bekenstein-Hawking entropy

Extension of previous work to generic Einstein solutions

Abstract

We show that the gravitational phase space for the near-horizon region of a bifurcate, axisymmetric Killing horizon in any dimension admits a 2D conformal symmetry algebra with central charges proportional to the area. This extends the construction of [Haco et. al., JHEP 12, 098 (2018)] to generic Killing horizons appearing in solutions of Einstein's equations, and motivates a holographic description in terms of a 2D conformal field theory. The Cardy entropy in such a field theory agrees with the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the horizon, suggesting a microscopic interpretation.