Black holes: Quantum trapping and singularity resolution

Abstract

We describe recent progress on the problem of gravitational collapse in quantum gravity. The model we study is the gravity-scalar field theory in spherical symmetry, which is the original setting for Hawking's semiclassical work on black-hole radiation. We present an approach to full quantization of this model in a Hamiltonian framework, with a view to understanding the late time behaviour of collapsing matter. We give operator realizations of curvature and null expansion variables. The first of these operators has a bounded spectrum indicating curvature singularity avoidance; the second provides a "quantum trapping" criterion for detecting whether a quantum state describes a black hole. It leads to the physical result that the boundary of a quantum black hole is subject to quantum fluctuations. We describe an approach to quantum dynamics, whereby an initial state can be evolved, and tracked to the point of quantum trapping and beyond.PACS Nos.: 04.60.–m, 04.60.Ds, 04.70.Dy