Testing the Generalized Second Law in 1+1 dimensional Conformal Vacua: An Argument for the Causal Horizon

Abstract

The anomalous conformal transformation law of the generalized entropy is found for dilaton gravity coupled to a 1+1 conformal matter sector with central charges $c = \tilde{c}$. (When $c \ne \tilde{c}$ the generalized entropy is not invariant under local Lorentz boosts.) It is shown that a certain second null derivative of the entropy, $S_\text{gen}" + (6/c)(S_\text{out}')^2$, is primary, and therefore retains its sign under a general conformal transformation. Consequently all conformal vacua have increasing entropy on causal horizons. Alternative definitions of the horizon, including apparent or dynamical horizons, can have decreasing entropy in any dimension $D \ge 2$. This indicates that the generalized second law should be defined using the causal horizon.