Modified Unruh thermodynamics in emergent gravity: Finite heat capacity and Rényi entropy

We show that Jacobson's thermodynamic derivation of Einstein's equations remains valid when local Rindler horizons are modeled as finite heat-capacity systems, resolving the infinite-bath assumption of Unruh thermodynamics. The horizon entropy then takes the form of Rényi entropy with nonextensivity parameter <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <a:mrow> <a:mi>λ</a:mi> <a:mo>∼</a:mo> <a:msup> <a:mi>C</a:mi> <a:mrow> <a:mo>−</a:mo> <a:mn>1</a:mn> </a:mrow> </a:msup> </a:mrow> </a:math> , or equivalently an “Einstein entropy” that uniquely preserves Einstein's equations for arbitrary <b:math xmlns:b="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <b:mi>C</b:mi> </b:math> . In both cases, the Unruh temperature is modified to <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <c:mrow> <c:msub> <c:mi>T</c:mi> <c:mtext>mod</c:mtext> </c:msub> <c:mo>=</c:mo> <c:mfrac> <c:mrow> <c:mi>ℏ</c:mi> <c:mi>κ</c:mi> </c:mrow> <c:mrow> <c:mn>2</c:mn> <c:mi>π</c:mi> </c:mrow> </c:mfrac> <c:mfenced separators="" open="(" close=")"> <c:mn>1</c:mn> <c:mo>+</c:mo> <c:mfrac> <c:mi>S</c:mi> <c:mi>C</c:mi> </c:mfrac> </c:mfenced> </c:mrow> </c:math> , establishing a universal link between finite-capacity thermodynamics and generalized entropies. We further derive a corrected scalar Einstein equation with an upper bound on horizon energy flux, suggesting testable signatures in heavy-ion collisions, spin-polarization experiments, and analog gravity, emergent gravity.

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Journal
Physical Review Research
Published
2026-02-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/mnm4-mylh
Primary Topic
Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Modified Unruh thermodynamics in emergent gravity: Finite heat capacity and Rényi entropy

K. Masmar, H. El Moumni, F. Barzi
Physical Review Research
Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect
article

Modified Unruh thermodynamics in emergent gravity: Finite heat capacity and Rényi entropy

K. Masmar, H. El Moumni, F. Barzi
article en

Abstract

We show that Jacobson's thermodynamic derivation of Einstein's equations remains valid when local Rindler horizons are modeled as finite heat-capacity systems, resolving the infinite-bath assumption of Unruh thermodynamics. The horizon entropy then takes the form of Rényi entropy with nonextensivity parameter <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <a:mrow> <a:mi>λ</a:mi> <a:mo>∼</a:mo> <a:msup> <a:mi>C</a:mi> <a:mrow> <a:mo>−</a:mo> <a:mn>1</a:mn> </a:mrow> </a:msup> </a:mrow> </a:math> , or equivalently an “Einstein entropy” that uniquely preserves Einstein's equations for arbitrary <b:math xmlns:b="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <b:mi>C</b:mi> </b:math> . In both cases, the Unruh temperature is modified to <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <c:mrow> <c:msub> <c:mi>T</c:mi> <c:mtext>mod</c:mtext> </c:msub> <c:mo>=</c:mo> <c:mfrac> <c:mrow> <c:mi>ℏ</c:mi> <c:mi>κ</c:mi> </c:mrow> <c:mrow> <c:mn>2</c:mn> <c:mi>π</c:mi> </c:mrow> </c:mfrac> <c:mfenced separators="" open="(" close=")"> <c:mn>1</c:mn> <c:mo>+</c:mo> <c:mfrac> <c:mi>S</c:mi> <c:mi>C</c:mi> </c:mfrac> </c:mfenced> </c:mrow> </c:math> , establishing a universal link between finite-capacity thermodynamics and generalized entropies. We further derive a corrected scalar Einstein equation with an upper bound on horizon energy flux, suggesting testable signatures in heavy-ion collisions, spin-polarization experiments, and analog gravity, emergent gravity.

Physical Review ResearchVol. 8(1)
Université Ibn Zohr (MA), Laboratoire de Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Openalex Percentile: Top 98%
Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect
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