Enthalpy and the Mechanics of AdS Black Holes

Abstract

I will discuss the contribution to black hole thermodynamics from a variation in the cosmological constant. The description of black hole with a cosmological constant is facilitated by introducing a two-form potential for the static Killing field. The resulting Smarr formula then includes a term proportional to the cosmological constant times an effective volume, which arises as the difference between the Killing potential on the horizon and the boundary at infinity. This volume is shown to be equal to the difference between the (infinite) volume of AdS and the (infinite) volume outside the black hole horizon of AdS containing a black hole--and so can be interpreted as the volume occupied by the black hole. I will outline the derivation for the first law for AdS black holes including a variation in the cosmological constant. This yields a new work term, the change in the cosmological constant times the effective volume. Hence this is analogous to a "volume times change in pressure" work term in classical thermodynamics. This suggests that the usual change in mass term is better interpreted as a change in the enthalpy, the mass plus the pressure times the volume. In the AdS/CFT correspondence a change in the cosmological constant corresponds to a change in the t'Hooft coupling, for example, a change in the number of degrees of freedom. The effective volume multiplier then looks like a chemical potential. Members of the audience will be asked to contribute their own interpretations at this point.