New perspective on thermodynamics of spacetime: The emergence of unimodular gravity and the equivalence of entropies

Abstract

We present a novel derivation of Einstein equations from the balance between Clausius entropy crossing the boundary of a local causal diamond and entanglement entropy associated with its horizon. Comparing this derivation with the entanglement equilibrium approach developed by Jacobson, we are able to argue for the equivalence of matter entanglement and Clausius entropy in the semiclassical regime. We also provide a direct comparison of both entropies for conformal matter, showing their equivalence without appealing to gravitational dynamics. Furthermore, we determine that gravitational dynamics implied by thermodynamics of spacetime, in fact, corresponds to unimodular gravity rather than general relativity.