Toward a proof of entropy increase in the presence of quantum black holes

May, 1986
4 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.Lett. 56 (1986) 1885-1888

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Abstract: (APS)
A sufficient condition for the quantum entropy, −Tr(ρlnρ), to be nondecreasing under a tracepreserving positive linear map is that the "totally random" state, ρ∝1, be stationary. It is argued that this condition will be satisfied by the quantum system consisting of the region external to one or more black holes. This would explain why a "generalized second law of thermodynamics" appears to hold in the presence of black holes.