Non-equilibrium Landauer transport model for Hawking radiation from a black hole

We propose that the Hawking radiation energy and entropy flow rates from a black hole can be viewed as a one-dimensional (1D), nonequilibrium Landauer transport process. Support for this viewpoint comes from previous calculations invoking conformal symmetry in the near-horizon region, which give radiation rates that are identical to those of a single 1D quantum channel connected to a thermal reservoir at the Hawking temperature. The Landauer approach shows in a direct way the particle statistics independence of the energy and entropy fluxes of a black hole radiating into vacuum, as well as one near thermal equilibrium with its environment. As an application of the Landauer approach, we show that Hawking radiation gives a net entropy production that is 50% larger than that obtained assuming standard 3D emission into vacuum. 4 Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed. New Journal of Physics 14 (2012) 033013 1367-2630/12/033013+14$33.00 © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft