Kabat's Surface Terms in the Zeta-Function approach

TL;DR

This paper computes the thermal partition functions of photons and gravitons in a Rindler wedge using a local zeta-function approach, examining the relation to Kabat's surface terms and implications for black hole entropy corrections.

Contribution

It introduces a local zeta-function method to analyze surface terms in quantum field theory in curved spacetime, connecting to black hole entropy corrections.

Findings

Derived thermal partition functions for photons and gravitons in Rindler space

Established the relation between local zeta-function surface terms and Kabat's results

Discussed implications for quantum corrections to black hole entropy

Abstract

The thermal partition functions of photons in any covariant gauge and gravitons in the harmonic gauge, propagating in a Rindler wedge, are computed using a local zeta-function approach. The relation with the surface terms previously obtained by D. Kabat is studied. The results are discussed in relation to the quantum corrections to the black hole entropy.