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Black-hole singularities: a new critical phenomenon
1Department of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|April 12, 2003
Summary
Numerical simulations reveal a critical exponent in charged black hole singularities. Below this exponent, singularities are mixed; above it, a spacelike singularity blocks black hole interiors, preventing hyperspace travel.
Area of Science:
- Theoretical physics
- General relativity
- Black hole physics
Background:
- Black holes possess singularities, points of infinite density.
- The nature of these singularities is crucial for understanding spacetime.
Purpose of the Study:
- To numerically investigate the singularity structure within a charged black hole.
- To analyze the influence of a scalar field's temporal profile on singularity evolution.
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulation of a charged black hole coupled to a massless scalar field.
- Utilizing a scalar field profile as a power of advanced time (exponent alpha > 0).
Main Results:
- A critical exponent, alpha(crit), was identified.
- For alpha < alpha(crit), the singularity comprises spacelike and null sectors.
- For alpha > alpha(crit), an all-encompassing spacelike singularity forms, blocking the black hole interior.
Conclusions:
- The scalar field's temporal profile critically determines the singularity's structure.
- A specific exponent regime prevents the black hole interior from being accessible, precluding hyperspace travel.
- This research offers insights into the fundamental nature of black hole singularities.