Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation

    Thermodynamics and mechanical laws of causal-diamond horizons

    Carlos R. Ordóñez1 and Gustavo Valdivia-Mera1,2,*

    • *Contact author: gvaldiviamera@uh.edu

    Phys. Rev. D 114, 085028 – Published 30 October, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/mqsp-mwbs

    Abstract

    We develop a unified thermodynamic and mechanical framework for causal-diamond horizons in Minkowski spacetime. Euclidean regularity fixes the temperature TD=1/(πα), where 2α is the temporal extent of the diamond. The regulated Gibbons-Hawking-York contribution gives IDE=−A0/(4G), with A0 the area of the horizon bifurcation surface, and the vanishing equilibrium geometric energy then yields the entropy-area relation SD=A0/(4G). For weak matter perturbations crossing a localized portion of the future horizon, a Raychaudhuri analysis relates the associated Killing-energy flux to the area response, yielding a local physical-process first law at leading order near the bifurcation surface and, for classical matter satisfying the null energy condition, a local second law. Uniform conformal surface gravity establishes the zeroth law, while zero temperature is approached only in the limit α→∞, in which the finite causal horizon disappears. These results show that a coherent horizon-law structure can arise within a causal diamond, a fundamental building block of the causal structure of Minkowski spacetime. The derivation is explicit in (2+1) dimensions, while the physical results retain the same form for spherical causal diamonds in d≥3.

    Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

    Authorization Required

    We need you to provide your credentials before accessing this content.

    References (Subscription Required)

    Outline

    Information

    Sign In to Your Journals Account

    Filter

    Filter

    Article Lookup

    Enter a citation