Mechanics of non-Killing horizons

TL;DR

This paper extends black hole mechanics to stationary axisymmetric spacetimes with non-Killing horizons arising from broken circularity. By defining three surface gravity notions—inaffinity $κ_i$, normal $κ_n$, and peeling $κ_p$—and a Kerr-like gauge, it analyzes how these quantities relate and how they fail to be constant across the horizon. It derives a generalized Smarr formula involving horizon-averaged quantities and identifies an explicit dissipative term $η$ that appears when circularity is broken non-minimally. Through a tunnelling calculation, it shows Hawking radiation is controlled by the non-constant peeling gravity $κ_p$, leading to an anisotropic temperature and chemical potential across the horizon. The work discusses the status of the four laws in this broader setting, arguing for a local or non-equilibrium thermodynamic interpretation and highlighting implications for black hole thermodynamics beyond general relativity.

Abstract

We investigate the mechanics of stationary axisymmetric non-Killing horizons, which emerge in spacetimes that do not enjoy the symmetry known as circularity -- as is commonly the case for rotating black holes beyond general relativity. Specifically, we define and compute three notions of surface gravity: inaffinity, normal, and peeling; and find that the inaffinity and normal definitions generically differ, while the normal and peeling definitions always agree, although none of them is constant over the horizon. We then derive a version of Smarr's formula, which appears to involve an average over the horizon of the normal surface gravity. We also compute, via the tunnelling method, the spectrum of Hawking's radiation, verifying that its temperature is controlled by the (non-constant) peeling surface gravity. Finally, we recapitulate the status of the four laws of black hole mechanics in situations in which the event horizon fails to be Killing. Our results thus pave the way to a deeper understanding of black hole thermodynamics beyond general relativity.