A signature for the absence of event horizons

TL;DR

This paper proposes that a specific gamma-ray spectral feature below 70 MeV could definitively indicate the presence of a physical surface on compact objects, challenging the existence of event horizons and enabling empirical Planck-scale physics studies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel observational signature to distinguish objects with surfaces from black holes with event horizons.

Findings

A spectral dip below 70 MeV signals a physical surface.

Observation of this feature would confirm the absence of an event horizon.

This approach provides a new method to study Planck-scale physics empirically.

Abstract

A sharp dip in the spectrum of gamma rays coming from compact objects below 70 MeV would be an unambiguous signal that compact astrophysical objects have a physical surface, and there is no event horizon. Observation of this effect would open a window for the empirical study of Planck scale physics