Thermal statistical ensembles of black holes

We consider statistical ensembles of Schwarzschild black holes and prove that these ensembles describe black holes of nonvanishing temperatures. The mean space–times associated to these ensembles are explored through exact computations of their energy distributions, total masses and calorific capacities. We discuss our results, with special emphasis on their connections with current and near future observations of astrophysical black holes, string theory and cosmology.