Breakdown of quantum mechanics in gravitational holography

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential breakdown of standard quantum mechanics in the context of gravitational holography, proposing that hidden variables at black hole horizons could restore a more complete quantum ontology.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that black hole horizons may involve hidden variables beyond standard quantum theory, impacting holographic descriptions and the understanding of unitarity.

Findings

Hidden variables at horizons may preserve information.

Spacetime horizons could restore quantum ontology.

Implications for AdS/CFT correspondence.

Abstract

According to the holographic principle, the information content assigned to a gravitational region is processed by its lower dimensional boundary. As an example setup compatible with this principle, the AdS/CFT correspondence relies on the existence of D-branes in superstring theory. Black hole complementarity is inevitably linked to holography and states that information associated with the collapsed pure state is reflected in the near horizon region. Yet, if this is so, it is indispensable to understand the mechanism that makes black holes viewed from the outside evolve unitarily. We here argue that the information preserving quantum atmosphere of the black hole emerges from hidden variables on its horizon which would necessitate going beyond a probabilistic description within standard quantum theory. In AdS/CFT, this would mean that the completion of the semiclassical subalgebra to the complete boundary algebra has to be traced back to the emergent near horizon Hilbert space structure. The present investigations suggest that spacetime horizons, in general, may play a crucial role in restoring a long speculated ontology in quantum mechanics.