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How to mine energy from a black hole

General Relativity and Gravitation volume 15, pages 195–199 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

We describe a process by which energy literally can be mined from a black hole. We argue that the only limit placed by fundamental considerations on the rate at which energy can be extracted from a black hole by this process isdE/dt ∼ 1 in Planck unitsG = c = ħ = 1. This is far greater than the ratedE/dt ∼ 1/M2 at which the black hole spontaneously loses energy by Hawking radiation.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of British Columbia, V6T 2A6, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

    William G. Unruh

  2. Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago, 60637, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Robert M. Wald

Authors
  1. William G. Unruh
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  2. Robert M. Wald
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Additional information

This essay received the fourth award from the Gravity Research Foundation for the year 1982-Ed.

This research was supported in part by the National Science and Engineering Council of Canada, by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and by NSF Grant No. PHY 80-26043 to the University of Chicago.

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Unruh, W.G., Wald, R.M. How to mine energy from a black hole. Gen Relat Gravit 15, 195–199 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00759206

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