Related papers: What is the Shape of a Black Hole?
Black holes in General Relativity are described by space-time metrics that are simpler in comparison to non-vacuum compact objects. However, given the universality of the gravitational pull, it is expected that dark matter accumulates…
The objective of this work is to present a non-technical introduction to black hole physics. The main properties of the four types of black hole allowed by the no-hair theorem are discussed, and some properties of spacetime around a black…
This paper discusses the thermodynamics of a black hole with respect to Hawking radiation and the entropy. We look at a unified picture of black hole entropy and curvature and how this can lead to the usual black hole luminosity due to…
Astronomers have discovered two populations of black holes: (i) stellar-mass black holes with masses in the range 5 to 30 solar masses, millions of which are present in each galaxy in the universe, and (ii) supermassive black holes with…
We show that in presence of a cosmological constant or, more generally, of a scalar potential, there can exist actually more possibilities for the horizon geometry of a four-dimensional black hole than the hitherto known spherical,…
We argue that bound states of branes have a size that is of the same order as the horizon radius of the corresponding black hole. Thus the interior of a black hole is not `empty space with a central singularity', and Hawking radiation can…
The spin of a black hole retains the memory of how the black hole grew, and can be a potent source of energy for powering relativistic jets. To understand the diagnostic power and astrophysical significance of black hole spin, however, we…
The black hole mass function of supermassive black holes describes the evolution of the distribution of black hole mass. It is one of the primary empirical tools available for mapping the growth of supermassive black holes and for…
Understanding the fate of semi-classical black hole solutions at very late times is one of the most important open questions in quantum gravity. In this paper, we provide a path integral definition of the volume of the black hole interior…
In recent years, the evidence for the existence of an ultra-compact concentration of dark mass associated with the radio source Sgr A* in the Galactic Center has become very strong. However, an unambiguous proof that this object is indeed a…
In this small review we present the actual state the knowledge about weighting black holes. Black holes can be found in stellar binary systems in our Galaxy and in other nearby galaxies, in globular clusters, which we can see in our and…
A black ring is a five-dimensional black hole with an event horizon of topology S1 x S2. We provide an introduction to the description of black rings in general relativity and string theory. Novel aspects of the presentation include a new…
We show that a formalism for analyzing the near-horizon conformal symmetry of Schwarzschild black holes using a scalar field probe is capable of describing black hole decay. The equation governing black hole decay can be identified as the…
The apparent shadow of a black hole provides one of the most direct probes of strong-field general relativity. While the shadow size in asymptotically flat spacetimes is well understood, the influence of cosmic expansion on its apparent…
This paper studies the interpretation of physics near a Schwarzschild black hole. A scenario for creation and growth is proposed that avoids the conundrum of information loss. In this picture the horizon recedes as it is approached and has…
Black holes hold a tremendous discovery potential. In this paper the extent to which the Event Horizon Telescope and its next generation upgrade can resolve their structure is quantified. Black holes are characterized by a perfectly…
Black holes in General Relativity are very simple objects. This property, that goes under the name of "no-hair," has been refined in the last few decades and admits several versions. The simplicity of black holes makes them ideal testbeds…
Do black holes rotate, and if yes, how fast? This question is fundamental and has broad implications, but still remains open. There are significant observational challenges in current spin determinations, and future facilities offer…
Black holes are among the most extreme objects that can be found in the Universe and an ideal laboratory for testing fundamental physics. This article will briefly review the basic properties of black holes as expected from general…
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a global submillimeter wavelength very long baseline interferometry array, unveiled event-horizon-scale images of the supermassive black hole M87* as an asymmetric bright emission ring with a diameter of $…