Virtual Black Holes and Space–Time Structure

Gerard ’t Hooft*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In the standard formalism of quantum gravity, black holes appear to form statistical distributions of quantum states. Now, however, we can present a theory that yields pure quantum states. It shows how particles entering a black hole can generate firewalls, which however can be removed, replacing them by the ‘footprints’ they produce in the out-going particles. This procedure can preserve the quantum information stored inside and around the black hole. We then focus on a subtle but unavoidable modification of the topology of the Schwarzschild metric: antipodal identification of points on the horizon. If it is true that vacuum fluctuations include virtual black holes, then the structure of space-time is radically different from what is usually thought.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1134-1149
Number of pages16
JournalFoundations of Physics
Volume48
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2018

Keywords

  • Antipodal identification
  • Black hole unitarity
  • Firewalls
  • Gravitational backreaction
  • Microstates
  • Vacuole
  • Virtual black holes

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