Asymptotically Flat Holography and Strings on the Horizon

Abstract

Recently, Klemm and others [hep-th/0104141] have successfully generalized the Cardy-Verlinde formula for an asymptotically flat spacetime of arbitrary dimensionality. And yet, from a holographic perspective, the interpretation of this formula remains somewhat unclear. Nevertheless, in this paper, we incorporate the implied flat space/CFT duality into a study on boundary descriptions of a $d$-dimensional Schwarzschild-black hole spacetime. In particular, we demonstrate that the (presumably) dual CFT adopts a string-like description and, moreover, is thermodynamically equivalent to a string that lives on the stretched horizon of the bulk black hole. Significantly, a similar equivalence has recently been established in both an asymptotically dS and AdS context. On this basis, we argue that the asymptotically flat Cardy-Verlinde formula does, indeed, have a holographic pedigree.

22 pages, Latex; references added and minor changes