Quantum Electron Clouds near Black Holes: Black Atoms and Molecules

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum wavefunctions near black holes, deriving Schrödinger equations in curved spacetime, and explores how strong gravity influences quantum states, including the concept of black atoms and molecules.

Contribution

It derives the Schrödinger equations near black holes and analyzes quantum electron clouds, introducing the novel idea of black atoms and molecules influenced by strong gravity.

Findings

Wavefunctions are attracted and localized near the black hole horizon.

Quantum properties of atoms are affected by strong gravitational fields.

Black hole configurations can form molecular-like structures with quantum states.

Abstract

We study quantum mechanical wavefunctions near highly curved spaces, i.e., black holes. By utilizing the formalism developed by DeWitt, we derive the Schr\"odinger equations in the vicinity of the Schwarzschild and the Reissner-Nordstr\"om black hole geometries. The quantum electron cloud for the "black hydrogen atom" - an electron trapped by black holes - is particularly studied. We solve the equations and find that black holes generally attract the wavefunctions, localizing them near the horizon where the electrons are most likely to be trapped. These results imply that not only classical objects but also the quantum material and even the chemical properties of the atoms are affected by strong gravity. We also discuss black hydrogen molecules composed of multi-centered Majumdar-Papapetrou black holes.