Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pure States Don't Wear Black

  • Commentary
  • Published:
General Relativity and Gravitation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently, string theory has provided some remarkable new insights into the microphysics of black holes. I argue that a simple and important lesson is also provided with regards to the information loss paradox, namely, pure quantum states do not form black holes! Thus it seems black hole formation, as well as evaporation, must be understood within the framework of quantum decoherence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

REFERENCES

  1. Hawking, S. W. (1975). Commun. Math. Phys. 43, 199.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hawking, S. W. (1975). Phys. Rev. D14, 2460.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Preskill, J. (1992). “Do black holes destroy information.” Preprint hep-th/9209058.

  4. Bardeen, J. M., Carter, B., and Hawking, S. W. (1973). Commun. Math. Phys. 31, 161.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bekenstein, J. D. (1973). Phys. Rev. D7, 2333; (1974). Phys. Rev. D9, 3292.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Polchinski, J. (1996). “TASI Lectures on D-branes.” E-print hep-th/9611050; Polchinski, J., Chaudhuri, S., and Johnson, C. V. (1996). “Notes on D-branes.” E-print hep-th/ 9602052.

  7. Strominger, A., and Vafa, C. (1996). Phys. Lett. B379, 99.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Johnson, C. V., Khuri, R. R., and Myers, R. C. (1996). Phys. Lett. B378, 78; Maldacena, J. M., and Strominger, A. (1996). Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 428.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Callan, C. G., and Maldacena, J. M. (1996). Nucl. Phys. B472, 591; Horowitz, G. T., and Strominger, A. (1996). Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2368.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Das, S. R., and Mathur, S. D. (1996). Nucl. Phys. B478, 561; (1996). ibid. 482, 153; Maldacena, J. M., and Strominger, A. (1997). Phys. Rev. D55, 861.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Das, S. R., Gibbons, G. W., and Mathur, S. D. (1997). Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 417.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Horowitz, G. T., and Marolf, D. (1997). Phys. Rev. D55, 846; (1997). Phys. Rev. D55, 835.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kaloper, N., Myers, R. C., and Roussel, H. (1996). “Wavy Strings: Black or Bright?” E-Print hep-th/ 9612248, to appear in Physical Review D; Tseytlin, A. A. (1996). Mod. Phys. Lett. A11 689.

  14. Horowitz, G. T., and Yang, H.-S. (1997). “Black Strings and Classical Hair.” E-Print hep-th/ 9701077.

  15. Zurek, W. H. (1991). Physics Today 44,No. 10, 36.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Robert Myers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Myers, R. Pure States Don't Wear Black. General Relativity and Gravitation 29, 1217–1222 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018855611972

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018855611972

Search

Navigation