On thermodynamics of black p-branes

Abstract

Thermodynamic properties of a class of black $p$-branes in $D$-dimensions considered by Duff and Lu are investigated semi-classically. For black $(d-1)$-brane, thermodynamic quantities depend on $D$ and $d$ only through the combination $\tilde d \equiv D-d-2$. The behavior of the Hawking temperature and the lifetime vary with $\tilde d$, with a critical value $\tilde d=2$. For $\tilde d>2$, there remains a remnant, in which non-zero entropy is stored. Implications of the fact that the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the black $(d-1)$-brane depend only on $\tilde d=D-d-2$ is discussed from the point of view of duality.