Negative-temperature pressure in black holes

Abstract

The concept of negative temperature is unique to quantum physics and describes systems that are hotter than any positive-temperature system. For decades, negative temperatures have been shown in a number of spin systems, but experiments only recently demonstrated atomic ensembles with negative temperatures in their motional degrees of freedom. An observed behavior of such negative-temperature ensembles is that despite highly attractive forces between an arbitrary number of particles, there is a self-stabilization against collapse. Negative temperatures are only possible in quantum systems because there exists upper bounds on the energy of particles —a property not found in classical physics. Here we consider whether event horizons set up similar upper limits within black holes, giving rise to negative-temperature systems just within event horizons. Combining black-hole thermodynamics with experimentally observed negative-temperature effects could imply a quantum-based outward pressure in black holes.