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arXiv:2610.19106

Gravity from generalized entropy

Hussain Gohar

gr-qchep-thquant-phSubmitted Oct 13, 2026• Announced Oct 15, 2026
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Gravity from entropy (GfE) identifies its Lagrangian with the geometric quantum relative entropy (GQRE) between the spacetime metric and a metric induced by matter and curvature, treating the metric itself as a quantum operator. We extend this construction to the Tsallis, Rényi, and Sharma-Mittal families, which we call gravity from generalized entropy (GfGE), and determine their common Einstein limit, weak-field spectra, auxiliary-field formulation, and horizon entropy. The entropy choice controls the leading higher-curvature terms and additional modes. We confirm that the linearized GfE spectrum contains a healthy scalar and a Planck-scale tachyonic spin-2 ghost. We identify the conditions that remove this ghost: curvature must enter through its scalar trace, or the entropy generator must be flat to quadratic order at the identity. The latter gives exact general relativity for Tsallis at $q=0$ and ghost-free $f(R,L_m)$ theories for Rényi and Sharma-Mittal. On shell, the auxiliary G-field is proportional to the tensor in Wald's entropy formula. For analytic entropy functions, horizons with a single curvature scale have an area term followed by constant and inverse-area corrections. We also extend the volume-constraint cosmological constant to the full family; its leading entropy dependence is set by the scalar mass. A finite set of entropy-function derivatives controls the leading weak-curvature departures from general relativity.

Comments
19 pages, 1 figure, 2 tables

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Gravity from entropy (GfE) identifies its Lagrangian with the geometric quantum relative entropy (GQRE) between the spacetime metric and a metric induced by matter and curvature, treating the metric itself as a quantum operator. We extend this construction to the Tsallis, Rényi, and Sharma-Mittal families, which we call gravity from generalized entropy (GfGE), and determine their common Einstein limit, weak-field spectra, auxiliary-field formulation, and horizon entropy. The entropy choice controls the leading higher-curvature terms and additional modes. We confirm that the linearized GfE spectrum contains a healthy scalar and a Planck-scale tachyonic spin-2 ghost. We identify the conditions that remove this ghost: curvature must enter through its scalar trace, or the entropy generator must be flat to quadratic order at the identity. The latter gives exact general relativity for Tsallis at q=0q=0q=0 and ghost-free f(R,Lm)f(R,L_m)f(R,Lm​) theories for Rényi and Sharma-Mittal. On shell, the auxiliary G-field is proportional to the tensor in Wald's entropy formula. For analytic entropy functions, horizons with a single curvature scale have an area term followed by constant and inverse-area corrections. We also extend the volume-constraint cosmological constant to the full family; its leading entropy dependence is set by the scalar mass. A finite set of entropy-function derivatives controls the leading weak-curvature departures from general relativity.
We develop a geometric realization of a broad class of generalized black hole entropy functionals by establishing their direct correspondence with the Misner−-−Sharp quasilocal mass and the Wald Noether−-−charge entropy in scalar−-−tensor theories of gravity. The resulting models feature a scale-dependent effective gravitational coupling, whose functional dependence is determined by the underlying entropy parameters. Within this framework, we derive explicit Einstein-frame scalar potentials: for Barrow entropy, a steep exponential potential; for Tsallis−-−Cirto entropy, an exponential potential governed by the nonextensivity parameter; and for quantum-gravity and entanglement−-−induced corrections, an approximately linear potential. These distinct potentials generate characteristic cosmological phenomenology, with implications for inflationary dynamics, late-time dark-energy behavior, and non-singular bouncing cosmologies. The framework is compatible with current constraints from solar-system tests, big-bang nucleosynthesis, and pulsar-timing observations, and it yields predictions that can be probed by forthcoming observational surveys. In this way, the analysis establishes a unified and geometrically grounded connection between information−-−theoretic entropy proposals and gravitational field theory.
In the context of the holographic duality, the entanglement entropy of ordinary QFT in a subregion in the boundary is given by a quarter of the area of an minimal surface embedded in the bulk spacetime. This rule has been also extended to a suitable one-parameter generalization of the von-Neuman entropy hatSn\\hat{S}_nhatSn​ that is related to the Renyi entropies SnS_nSn​, as given by the area of a \\emph{cosmic brane} minimally coupled with gravity, with a tension related to nnn that vanishes as nto1n\\to1nto1, and moreover, this parameter can be analytically extended to arbitrary real values. However, the brane action plays no role in the duality and cannot be considered a part of the theory of gravity, thus it is used as an auxiliary tool to find the correct background geometry. In this work we study the construction of the gravitational (reduced) density matrix from holographic states, whose wave-functionals are described as euclidean path integrals with arbitrary conditions on the asymptotic boundaries, and argue that in general, a non-trivial Hayward term must be haven into account. So we propose that the gravity model with a coupled Nambu-Goto action is not an artificial tool to account for the Renyi entropies, but it is present in the own gravity action through a Hayward term. As a result we show that the computations using replicas simplify considerably and we recover the holographic prescriptions for the measures of entanglement entropy; in particular, derive an area law for the original Renyi entropies (SnS_nSn​) related to a minimal surface in the nnn replicated spacetime. Moreover, we show that the gravitational modular flow contains the area operator and can explain the Jafferis-Lewkowycz-Maldacena-Suh proposal.
Abstract In the context of the holographic duality, the entanglement entropy of ordinary QFT in a subregion in the boundary is given by a quarter of the area of an minimal surface embedded in the bulk spacetime. This rule has been also extended to a suitable one-parameter generalization of the von-Neuman entropy Ŝn that is related to the Rényi entropies Sn, as given by the area of a cosmic brane minimally coupled with gravity, with a tension related to n that vanishes as n → 1, and moreover, this parameter can be analytically extended to arbitrary real values. However, the brane action plays no role in the duality and cannot be considered a part of the theory of gravity, thus it is used as an auxiliary tool to find the correct background geometry. In this work we study the construction of the gravitational (reduced) density matrix from holographic states, whose wave-functionals are described as euclidean path integrals with arbitrary conditions on the asymptotic boundaries, and argue that in general, a non-trivial Hayward term must be haven into account. So we propose that the gravity model with a coupled Nambu-Goto action is not an artificial tool to account for the Rényi entropies, but it is present in the own gravity action through a Hayward term. As a result we show that the computations using replicas simplify considerably and we recover the holographic prescriptions for the measures of entanglement entropy; in particular, derive an area law for the original Rényi entropies (Sn) related to a minimal surface in the n replicated spacetime. Moreover, we show that the gravitational modular flow contains the area operator and can explain the Jafferis-Lewkowycz-Maldacena-Suh proposal.
Entanglement entropy of holographic CFTs is expected to play a crucial role in the reconstruction of semiclassical bulk gravity. We consider the entanglement entropy of spherical regions of vacuum, which is known to contain universal contributions. After perturbing the CFT with a relevant scalar operator, also the first order change of this quantity gives a universal term which only depends on a discrete set of basic CFT parameters. We show that in gravity this statement corresponds to the uniqueness of the ghost-free graviton propagator on an AdS background geometry. While the gravitational dynamics in this context contains little information about the structure of the bulk theory, there is a discrete set of dimensionless parameters of the theory which determines the entanglement entropy. We argue that for every (not necessarily holographic) CFT, any reasonable gravity model can be used to compute this particular entanglement entropy. We elucidate how this statement is consistent with AdS/CFT and also give various generalizations. On the one hand this illustrates the remarkable usefulness of geometric concepts for understanding entanglement in general CFTs. On the other hand, it provides hints as to what entanglement data can be expected to provide enough information to distinguish, e.g., bulk theories with different higher curvature couplings.
Within orthodox quantum mechanics, the only empirical content of any physical claim is a change in the outcome statistics of a declared measurement. In the modern formulation of measurement theory this declaration is an instrument (a family of completely positive maps) or equivalently a POVM together with an implementation. In curved spacetimes, localized measurement theory supplies the appropriate notion of a “local interface”: a finite laboratory worldtube with finite switching, whose induced observables lie in the causal hull and whose instruments compose causally. This paper proves a closure result: for any declared localized measurement, all geometric dependence (metric, connection, curvature, horizons) can affect outcome statistics only through exactly two operational apertures: • Phase / support aperture: the implemented localized instrument or channel on the accessible algebra, including any differential proper‑time or propagation‑dependent phase and any geometry‑dependent support of the induced observable. • Entropy aperture: the accessibility restriction itself (restriction of the global state to the accessible algebra), equivalently a trace over inaccessible degrees of freedom, with the corresponding mixedness/entropy as the interface invariant. There is no third independent slot in the quantum‑mechanical probability rule into which “quantum gravity” can be inserted. Common‑mode phases are operationally null. Sub‑resolution “micro‑selection” is inadmissible without a refined POVM/instrument. And “mediator” talk without a mediator POVM is non‑identifiable, because Stinespring dilations are never unique. The closure is robust: within finite‑response classes, small perturbations of couplings or geometry produce proportionally small changes in outcome statistics. The result does not deny the possibility of new physics beyond orthodox QM. It eliminates a specific move that has repeatedly appeared in quantum‑gravity discourse: treating curvature as an additional, independently specifiable ingredient of orthodox quantum‑mechanical prediction at a local interface.
We study the Euclidean gravitational path integral computing the Rényi entropy and analyze its behavior under small variations. We argue that, in Einstein gravity, the extremality condition can be understood from the variational principle at the level of the action, without having to solve explicitly the equations of motion. This set-up is then generalized to arbitrary theories of gravity, where we show that the respective entanglement entropy functional needs to be extremized. We also extend this result to all orders in Newton’s constant G N , providing a derivation of quantum extremality. Understanding quantum extremality for mixtures of states provides a generalization of the dual of the boundary modular Hamiltonian which is given by the bulk modular Hamiltonian plus the area operator, evaluated on the so-called modular extremal surface. This gives a bulk prescription for computing the relative entropies to all orders in G N . We also comment on how these ideas can be used to derive an integrated version of the equations of motion, linearized around arbitrary states.