TeV-scale black hole lifetimes in extra-dimensional Lovelock gravity

We examine the mass loss rates and lifetimes of TeV-scale extra-dimensional black holes (BH) in Arkani-Hamed, Dimopoulos and Dvali-like models with Lovelock higher-curvature terms present in the action. In particular, we focus on the predicted differences between the canonical and microcanonical ensemble statistical mechanics descriptions of the Hawking radiation that result in the decay of these BH. In even numbers of extra dimensions, the employment of the microcanonical approach is shown to generally lead to a significant increase in the BH lifetime as in the case of the Einstein Hilbert action. For odd numbers of extra dimensions, stable BH remnants occur when employing either description provided the highest order allowed Lovelock invariant is present. However, in this case, the time dependence of the mass loss rates obtained employing the two approaches will be different. These effects are in principle measurable at future colliders.

Work supported in part by the Department of Energy, contract DE-AC02-76SF00515.