Thermodynamics of two black holes

Abstract

We study a system of two charged non-rotating black holes separated by a strut. Using the exact solution of the Einstein-Maxwell equations, which describes this system, we construct a consistent form of the first law of thermodynamics. We derive thermodynamic parameters related to the strut in an explicit form. The intensive thermodynamical quantity associated with the strut is its tension. We call the corresponding extensive quantity the thermodynamical length and we provide an explicit expression and interpretation for it.

8 pages, 2 figure; v2: significant modifications; v3: minor typo and reference corrections