Canonical Quantization of the BTZ Black Hole using Noether Symmetries

TL;DR

This paper presents a canonical quantization of the BTZ black hole using Noether symmetries, revealing quantum states that either reproduce classical geometries or soften singularities, enhancing understanding of quantum gravity effects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining Noether symmetries with quantum constraints to analyze the BTZ black hole at the quantum level.

Findings

Quantum wave-functions match classical geometries

Some quantum solutions lack horizons and singularities

Noether symmetries fully determine classical solution space

Abstract

The well-known BTZ black hole solution of (2+1) Einstein's gravity, in the presence of a cosmological constant, is treated both at the classical and quantum level. Classically, the imposition of the two manifest local Killing fields of the BTZ geometry at the level of the full action results in a mini-superspace constraint action with the radial coordinate playing the role of the independent dynamical variable. The Noether symmetries of this reduced action are then shown to completely determine the classical solution space, without any further need to solve the dynamical equations of motion. At a quantum mechanical level, all the admissible sets of the quantum counterparts of the generators of the above mentioned symmetries are utilized as supplementary conditions acting on the wave-function. These additional restrictions, in conjunction with the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, help to determine (up to constants) the wave-function which is then treated semiclassically, in the sense of Bohm. The ensuing space-times are, either identical to the classical geometry, thus exhibiting a good correlation of the corresponding quantization to the classical theory, or are less symmetric but exhibit no Killing or event horizon and no curvature singularity, thus indicating a softening of the classical conical singularity of the BTZ geometry.