“Kerrr” black hole: The lord of the string

Kerrr in the title is not a typo. The third “r” stands for regular, in the sense of pathology-free rotating black hole. We exhibit a long search-for, exact, Kerr-like, solution of the Einstein equations with novel features: (i) no curvature ring singularity; (ii) no “anti-gravity” universe with causality violating time-like closed world-lines; (iii) no “super-luminal” matter disk.     

Double-horizon limit, AdS geometry and entropy function

We start from a generic metric which describes four-dimensional stationary black holes in an arbitrary theory of gravity and show that the AdS₂ part of the near-horizon geometry is a consequence of the double-horizon limit and finiteness. We also show that the field configurations of the near horizon are determined if the same conditions are applied to the equations of motion. This is done by showing that in the double-horizon limit field equations at the horizon decouple from the bulk of the space. Solving these equations gives the near-horizon field configurations. It is shown that these decoupled equations can be obtained from an action derived from the original action by applying the double-horizon condition. Our results agree with the entropy function method.     

Black holes and black hole thermodynamics without event horizons

We investigate whether black holes can be defined without using event horizons. In particular we focus on the thermodynamic properties of event horizons and the alternative, locally defined horizons. We discuss the assumptions and limitations of the proofs of the zeroth, first and second laws of black hole mechanics for both event horizons and trapping horizons. This leads to the possibility that black holes may be more usefully defined in terms of trapping horizons. We also review how Hawking radiation may be seen to arise from trapping horizons and discuss which horizon area should be associated with the gravitational entropy.     

Black hole entropy function,attractors and precision counting of microstates

In these lecture notes we describe recent progress in our understanding of attractor mechanism and entropy of extremal black holes based on the entropy function formalism. We also describe precise computation of the microscopic degeneracy of a class of quarter BPS dyons in supersymmetric string theories, and compare the statistical entropy of these dyons, expanded in inverse powers of electric and magnetic charges, with a similar expansion of the corresponding black hole entropy. This comparison is extended to include the contribution to the entropy from multi-centred black holes as well.     

The delocalized effective degrees of freedom of a black hole at low frequencies

Identifying the fundamental degrees of freedom of a black hole poses a long-standing puzzle. Recently Goldberger and Rothstein forwarded a theory of the low frequency degrees of freedom within the effective field theory approach, where they are relevancy ordered but of unclear physical origin. Here these degrees of freedom are identified with near-horizon but non-compact gravitational perturbations which are decomposed into delocalized multipoles. Their world-line (kinetic) action is determined within the classical effective field theory (CLEFT) approach and their interactions are discussed. The case of the long-wavelength scattering of a scalar wave off a Schwarzschild black hole is treated in some detail, interpreting within the CLEFT approach the equality of the leading absorption cross section with the horizon area. Fifth Award in the 2008 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundation.     

Un-graviton corrections to the Schwarzschild black hole

We introduce an effective action smoothly extending the standard Einstein–Hilbert action to include un-gravity effects. The improved field equations are solved for the un-graviton corrected Schwarzschild geometry reproducing the Mureika result. This is an important test to confirm the original “guess” of the form of the un-Schwarzschild metric. Instead of working in the weak field approximation and “dressing” the Newtonian potential with un-gravitons, we solve the “effective Einstein equations” including all order un-gravity effects. An unexpected “bonus” of accounting un-gravity effects is the fractalisation   of the event horizon. In the un-gravity dominated regime the event horizon thermodynamically behaves as fractal surface of dimensionality twice the scale dimension dU$d_U$.     

The universe as a five-dimensional black hole

We show the geometrical equivalence of two five-dimensional metrics, one describing a cosmology which smoothly embeds the standard Friedmann-Robertson-Walker-Lemaître models, and another describing an object which topologically is a black hole. The solutions can be interpreted using either membrane or induced-matter theory. We outline the main physics, wherein the horizon of the black hole is connected to a big bounce in the cosmology, which may in turn be connected to a phase change in the vacuum.     

Vector unparticle enhanced black holes: Exact solutions and thermodynamics

Tensor and scalar unparticle couplings to matter have been shown to enhance gravitational interactions and provide corrections to the Schwarzschild metric and associated black hole structure. We derive an exact solution to the Einstein equations for vector unparticles, and conclusively demonstrate that these induce Riessner–Nordström (RN)-like solutions where the role of the “charge” is defined by a composite of unparticle phase space parameters. These black holes admit double-horizon structure, although unlike the RN metric these solutions have a minimum inner horizon value. In the extremal limit, the Hawking temperature is shown to vanish. As with the scalar/tensor case, the (outer) horizon is shown via entropy considerations to behave like a fractal surface of spectral dimension dH=2dU$d_H=2d_U$.     

Some considerations about NS5 and LST Hawking radiation

We have studied the Hawking radiation corresponding to the NS5 and Little String Theory (LST) black hole models using two semi-classical methods: the complex path method and a gravitational anomaly. After summarizing some known concepts about the thermodynamics of these theories, we have computed the emission rates for the two black hole models. The temperature calculated from, e.g. the well-known surface gravity expression, is shown to be identical to that obtained from both the computation of the gravitational anomaly and the complex path method. Moreover, the two semi-classical methods show that NS5 exhibits non-thermal behavior that contrasts with the thermal behavior of LST. We remark that energy conservation is the key factor leading to a non-thermal profile for NS5. In contrast, LST keeps a thermal profile even when energy conservation is considered because temperature in this model does not depend on energy.     

Possible effects of a cosmological constant on black hole evolution

We explore possible effects of vacuum energy on the evolution of black holes. If the universe contains a cosmological constant, and if black holes can absorb energy from the vacuum, then black hole evaporation could be greatly suppressed. For the magnitude of the cosmological constant suggested by current observations, black holes larger than 4×10²⁴ g would accrete energy rather than evaporate. In this scenario, all stellar and supermassive black holes would grow with time until they reach a maximum mass scale of 6×10⁵⁵ g, comparable to the mass contained within the present day cosmological horizon.     

A review of the microscopic modeling of the 5-dim. black hole of HB string theory

We review the theory of the microscopic modeling of the 5-dim. black hole of type HB string theory in terms of the D ₁–D ₅ brane system. A detailed discussion of the low energy effective Lagrangian of the brane system is presented and the black hole micro-states are identified. These considerations are valid in the strong coupling regime of supergravity due to the non-renormalization of the low energy dynamics in this model. Using Maldacena duality and standard statistical mechanics methods one can account for black hole thermodynamics and calculate the absorption cross section and the Hawking radiation rates. Hence, at least in the case of this model black hole, since we can account for black hole properties within a unitary theory, there is no information paradox.     

Black hole greybody factors and absorption of scalars by effective strings

We compute the greybody factors for classical black holes in a domain where two kinds of charges and their anticharges are excited by the extra energy over extremality. We compare the result to the greybody factors expected from an effective string mode] which was earlier shown to give the correct entropy. In the regime where the left- and right-moving temperatures are much smaller than the square root of the effective string tension, we find a non-trivial greybody factor which agrees with the effective string mode]. However, if the temperatures are comparable with the square root of the effective string tension, the greybody factors agree only at the leading order in energy. Nevertheless, there are several interesting relations between the two results, suggesting that a modification of the effective string mode] might lead to better agreement.     

Black hole critical phenomena without black holes

Studying the threshold of black hole formation via numerical evolution has led to the discovery of fascinating nonlinear phenomena. Power-law mass scaling, aspects of universality, and self-similarity have now been found for a large variety of models. However, questions remain. Here I briefly review critical phenomena, discuss some recent results, and describe a model which demonstrates similar phenomena without gravity.     

Formation of black hole and emission of gravitational waves

Numerical simulations were performed for the formation process of rotating black holes. It is suggested that Kerr black holes are formed for wide ranges of initial parameters. The nature of gravitational waves from a test particle falling into a Kerr black hole as well as the development of 3D numerical relativity for the coalescing binary neutron stars are discussed.     

Exclusion of black hole disaster scenarios at the LHC

The upcoming high energy experiments at the LHC are one of the most outstanding efforts for a better understanding of nature. It is associated with great hopes in the physics community. But there is also some fear in the public, that the conjectured production of mini black holes might lead to a dangerous chain reaction. In this Letter we summarize the most straightforward arguments that are necessary to rule out such doomsday scenarios.     

Black hole spectroscopy via adiabatic invariance

During the last years, one had to combine the proposal about how quasinormal frequencies are related with black holes and the proposal about the adiabatic invariance of black holes in order to derive the quantized entropy spectrum and its minimum change for several black holes. In this Letter we exclusively utilize the statement that the black hole horizon area is an adiabatic invariant and derive an equally spaced entropy spectrum of a black hole with its quantum to be equal to the one given by Bekenstein. Interestingly, in our approach no concept of quasi-normal mode is needed.     

Stationary Dyonic regular and black hole solutions

We consider globally regular and black hole solutions in SU(2) Einstein–Yang–Mills–Higgs theory, coupled to a dilaton field. The basic solutions represent magnetic monopoles, monopole–antimonopole systems or black holes with monopole or dipole hair. When the globally regular solutions carry additionally electric charge, an angular momentum density results, except in the simplest spherically symmetric case. We evaluate the global charges of the solutions and their effective action, and analyze their dependence on the gravitational coupling strength. We show, that in the presence of a dilaton field, the black hole solutions satisfy a generalized Smarr type mass formula. B. Kleihaus gratefully acknowledges support by the German Aerospace Center. F. Navarro-Lérida gratefully acknowledges support by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia under grant EX2005-0078.     

Properties of CFTs dual to charged BTZ black hole

We study properties of strongly coupled CFT's with non-zero background electric charge in 1+1$1+1$ dimensions by studying the dual gravity theory—which is a charged BTZ black hole. Correlators of operators dual to scalars, gauge fields and fermions are studied at both T=0$T=0$ and T≠0$T\ne 0$. In the T=0$T=0$ case we are also able to compare with analytical results based on AdS₂${\mathit{AdS}}_2$ and find reasonable agreement. In particular the correlation between log periodicity and the presence of finite spectral density of gapless modes is seen. The real part of the conductivity (given by the current–current correlator) also vanishes as ω→0$\omega \to 0$ as expected. The fermion Green's function shows quasiparticle peaks with approximately linear dispersion but the detailed structure is neither Fermi liquid nor Luttinger liquid and bears some similarity to a “Fermi–Luttinger” liquid. This is expected since there is a background charge and the theory is not Lorentz or scale invariant. A boundary action that produces the observed non-Luttinger liquid like behavior (k  -independent non-analyticity at ω=0$\omega =0$) in the Green's function is discussed.