Black hole thermodynamics

The chapter presents the Penrose process, Hawking radiation, entropy and the laws of black hole thermodynamics. The Penrose process is derived and the area theorem is stated. A heuristic argument for the Hawking effect is given, emphasising a correct grasp of the concepts and the nature of the result. The Hawking effect and the Unruh effect are further discussed and linked together in a precise calculation. Evaporation of black holes is described. The information paradox is presented.

Thermal transport of hybrid nanofluids with entropy generation: A numerical simulation

In this research, thermal radiation, entropy generation and variable thermal conductivity effects on hybrid nanofluids by moving sheet are analyzed. The liquid is placed by stretchable flat wall that is flowing in a nonlinear pattern. Thermal conductivity changes with temperature governed by thermal radiation and MHD is incorporated. Approximations of boundary layer correspond to a set of PDEs which are then changed into ODEs by considering suitable variables. The resulting ODEs are solved using the bvp4c method. The implication with considerable physical characteristics on temperature, entropy generation and velocity profile is graphically represented and numerically discussed. Entropy generation increases for increasing Reynolds number, velocity slip parameter, Brinkman number and magnetic parameter. Scientists have recently established a rising interest in the importance of nanoparticles due to their numerous technical, industrial and commercial uses. The provided insights can be used in extrusion application areas, macromolecules, biomimetic systems, energy production and industrial process improvements.

New Thermodynamics: Inelastic Collisions, Blackbody Radiation, Entropy and Light

Most collisions that we witness are inelastic. Irrationally, the sciences have evolved around elastic collisions, which allows for simpler mathematical modelling. Since a result of inelastic collisions are photons, we examine the feasibility of an ensemble of inelastic collisions producing a blackbody spectrum. This will lead to reconsideration of how the light that governs our lives is produced, i.e., light from both the stars and incandescent lightbulbs. A brief discussion of entropy being a mathematical contrivance based upon elastic collisions is included. A consequence of collisions being inelastic becomes, entropy can only be an approximation when applied to the real world. And this fits well with “New Thermodynamics”.

Spectral solar irradiance and its entropic effect on Earth's climate

The high-resolution measurements of the spectral solar irradiance at the top of the Earth's atmosphere by the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite suggest significant deviation of solar radiation from the commonly assumed blackbody radiation. Here, we use these spectral irradiance measurements to estimate the Earth's incident solar radiation entropy flux, and examine the importance of a proper estimation approach. The Earth's incident solar radiation entropy flux estimated by directly applying the observed spectral solar irradiance into the most accurate Planck expression is compared with that estimated with a conventional approach that uses the Sun's brightness temperature under the assumption of a blackbody Sun. The globally averaged non-blackbody incident solar radiation entropy flux at the top of the Earth's atmosphere equals 0.31 W m−2 K−1. This value is about 4 times larger than that estimated from the conventional blackbody approach, with the difference comparable to the typical value of the entropy production rate associated with atmospheric latent heat process. Further analysis reveals that the decrease of spectral solar radiation entropy flux with radiation traveling distance, unlike the decrease of spectral solar radiation energy flux with radiation traveling distance, is wavelength dependent, and that the difference between the two estimates can be attributed to the fact that the conventional approach ignores the influence of radiation traveling distance on the spectral solar radiation entropy flux. Moreover, sensitivity study further shows that the distribution of top-of-atmosphere spectral solar irradiance could significantly impact the magnitude of the estimated Earth's incident solar radiation entropy flux. These results together suggest that the spectral distribution of incident solar radiation is critical for determining the Earth's incident solar radiation entropy flux, and thus the Earth's climate.

A new one-dimensional radiative equilibrium model for investigating atmospheric radiation entropy flux

A new one-dimensional radiative equilibrium model is built to analytically evaluate the vertical profile of the Earth's atmospheric radiation entropy flux under the assumption that atmospheric longwave radiation emission behaves as a greybody and shortwave radiation as a diluted blackbody. Results show that both the atmospheric shortwave and net longwave radiation entropy fluxes increase with altitude, and the latter is about one order in magnitude greater than the former. The vertical profile of the atmospheric net radiation entropy flux follows approximately that of the atmospheric net longwave radiation entropy flux. Sensitivity study further reveals that a ‘darker’ atmosphere with a larger overall atmospheric longwave optical depth exhibits a smaller net radiation entropy flux at all altitudes, suggesting an intrinsic connection between the atmospheric net radiation entropy flux and the overall atmospheric longwave optical depth. These results indicate that the overall strength of the atmospheric irreversible processes at all altitudes as determined by the corresponding atmospheric net entropy flux is closely related to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.