On the fate of quantum black holes

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum effects in black hole formation and evolution using loop quantum cosmology, revealing non-singular bounces, dynamic horizons, and a modified information loss scenario.

Contribution

It introduces a polymer quantization approach to black hole collapse, providing analytical and numerical solutions that resolve singularities and alter the classical horizon structure.

Findings

Matter undergoes a non-singular bounce.

Black hole lifetime scales with the square of its mass.

Event horizons are replaced by transient apparent horizons.

Abstract

We study the quantum dynamics of the Lema\^itre-Tolman-Bondi space-times using a polymer quantization prescription based on loop quantum cosmology that incorporates fundamental discreteness. By solving an effective equation derived from this quantization, we find analytical solutions for the Oppenheimer-Snyder and thin-shell collapse models, and numerical solutions for a variety of asymptotically flat collapsing dust profiles. Our study (i) tracks the formation, evolution and disappearance of dynamical horizons, (ii) shows that matter undergoes a non-singular bounce that results in an outgoing shock wave, (iii) determines black hole lifetime to be proportional to the square its mass, and (iv) provides a conformal diagram that substantially modifies the standard "information loss" picture by resolving the singularity and replacing the event horizon by transient apparent horizons.