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arXiv · 1601.02897

Life under a black sun

Tomáš Opatrný·Lukáš Richterek·Pavel Bakala
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Abstract

Life is dependent on the income of energy with low entropy and the disposal of energy with high entropy. On Earth, the low-entropy energy is provided by solar radiation and the high-entropy energy is disposed as infrared radiation emitted into the cold space. Here we turn the situation around and assume cosmic background radiation as the low-entropy source of energy for a planet orbiting a black hole into which the high-entropy energy is disposed. We estimate the power that can be produced by thermodynamic processes on such a planet, with a particular interest in planets orbiting a fast rotating Kerr black hole as in the science fiction movie {\em Interstellar}. We also briefly discuss a reverse Dyson sphere absorbing cosmic background radiation from the outside and dumping waste energy to a black hole inside.

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BibTeXRIS

Tomáš Opatrný, Lukáš Richterek, Pavel Bakala. 2016-01-12. Life under a black sun. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4966905

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