English

Black hole boundaries

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2009-11-11 v2

Abstract

Classical black holes and event horizons are highly non-local objects, defined in relation to the causal past of future null infinity. Alternative, quasilocal characterizations of black holes are often used in mathematical, quantum, and numerical relativity. These include apparent, killing, trapping, isolated, dynamical, and slowly evolving horizons. All of these are closely associated with two-surfaces of zero outward null expansion. This paper reviews the traditional definition of black holes and provides an overview of some of the more recent work on alternative horizons.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0508107,
  title  = {Black hole boundaries},
  author = {Ivan Booth},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0508107},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

27 pages, 8 figures, invited Einstein Centennial Review Article for CJP, final version to appear in journal - glossary of terms added, typos corrected