Generalized entropy implies varying-G: Horizon area dependent field equations and black hole-cosmology coupling

Abstract

When the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy is modified, ambiguity often arises concerning whether the Hawking temperature or the thermodynamic mass should be modified. The common practice, however, is to keep the black hole solution the same as that in general relativity. On the other hand, if Jacobson’s method of deriving Einstein equations from thermodynamic is valid in the general settings, then given a generalized entropy one should first derive the corresponding modified gravity, and then look for the compatible black hole solution before investigating its thermodynamics. We comment on some properties and subtleties in this approach. In particular, we point out that generically generalized entropy would lead to a varying effective gravitational “constant” theory, in which $G_{\text{eff}}$ depends on the horizon area. We discuss in what ways such theories are discernible from general relativity despite its seemingly jarring differences, and how to make sense of area-dependent field equations. As a consequence we show that in the Jacobson’s approach, the standard quantum gravitational logarithmic correction to Bekenstein–Hawking entropy is equivalent to a running gravitational “constant”. A horizon area dependent $G_{\text{eff}}$ could also lead to a coupling between black hole masses and cosmological expansion, a scenario that has been studied recently in the literature, but so far lacks strong theoretical motivation. In the Tsallis case, we show that the thermodynamic mass for a Schwarzschild black hole is just a constant multiple of its ADM mass, which is considerably simpler than the approach not utilizing the Jacobson’s method.