Related papers: Is There a General Area Theorem for Black Holes?
Black holes are one of the most fascinating predictions of general relativity. They are the natural product of the complete gravitational collapse of matter and today we have a body of observational evidence supporting the existence of…
Restricted to a black hole horizon, the ``gauge'' algebra of surface deformations in general relativity contains a Virasoro subalgebra with a calculable central charge. The fields in any quantum theory of gravity must transform accordingly,…
The conditions are clarified under which regular (i.e., singularity-free) black holes can exist. It is shown that in a large class of spacetimes that satisfy the weak energy condition the existence of a regular black hole requires topology…
It has been observed that the area product of horizons for many black hole solutions is mass independent and satisfy the universality relation $A_+A_-=(8\pi)^2 N$, where $N$ is related to the quantized charges of the solution as angular…
Classical black holes are solutions of the field equations of General Relativity. Many astronomical observations suggest that black holes really exist in nature. However, an unambiguous proof for their existence is still lacking. Neither…
Singularity-free regular black holes are a popular alternative to the singular mathematical black holes predicted by general relativity. Here, we derive a generic condition that spherically symmetric dynamical regular black holes must…
To what extent are all astrophysical, dark, compact objects both black holes (BHs) and described by the Kerr geometry? We embark on the exercise of defying the universality of this remarkable idea, often called the "Kerr hypothesis". After…
An extension of Penrose's singularity theorem is proved for spacetimes where black holes are allowed to form from non-singular initial data. With standard assumptions about the spacetime, and assuming the existence of a trapped surface…
We show that in all theories in which black hole hair has been discovered, the region with non-trivial structure of the non-linear matter fields must extend beyond 3/2 the horizon radius, independently of all other parameters present in the…
Black hole thermodynamics suggests that a black hole should have an entropy given by a quarter of the area of its horizon. Earlier calculations in U(1) loop quantum gravity have led to a dominant term proportional to the area, but there was…
Aims: In this paper we study density cusps that may contain central black holes. The actual co-eval self-similar growth would not distinguish between the central object and the surroundings. Methods: To study the environment of a growing…
In theories where physics depends on a global foliation of space-time, a black hole's horizon is surrounded by an "eternity skin": a pile-up of space-like leaves that in the far-out region cover all times from the start of collapse to…
What is going on (as of August 2008) at the interface between theoretical general relativity, string-inspired models, and observational astrophysics? Quite a lot. In this mini-survey I will make a personal choice and focus on four specific…
A general formulation of the basic conflict of the information problem is given, encapsulated in a "black hole theorem." This is framed in a more general context than the usual one of quantum field theory on a background, and is based on…
The problem of information loss in black hole formation and the associated violations of basic laws of physics, such as conservation of energy, causality and unitarity, are avoided in the nonsymmetric gravitational theory, if the NGT charge…
Available proofs of the regularity of stationary black hole event horizons rely on certain assumptions on the existence of sections that imply a $C^1$ differentiability assumption. By using a quotient bundle approach, we remedy this problem…
Whereas the usual understanding is that the entropy of only a non-extremal black hole is given by the area of the horizon, there are derivations of an area law for extremal black holes in some model calculations. It is explained here how…
According to the no-hair theorem, static black holes are described by a Schwarzschild spacetime provided there are no other sources of the gravitational field. This requirement, however, is in astrophysical realistic scenarios often…
If simple entropy in the Bekenstein-Hawking area law for a Schwarzschild black hole is replaced with 'negative' quantum conditional entropy, which quantifies quantum entanglement, of positive-energy particles of the black hole relative to…
Motivated by the question of how generic inflation is, I study the time-evolution of topological surfaces in an inhomogeneous cosmology with positive cosmological constant $\Lambda$. If matter fields satisfy the Weak Energy Condition,…