Information Loss in Black Hole Evaporation

TL;DR

This paper revisits the Parikh-Wilczek tunnelling framework, arguing it applies only to reversible black hole processes, and suggests that black hole evaporation is inherently irreversible, potentially leading to information loss.

Contribution

It critically analyzes the applicability of the Parikh-Wilczek framework to black hole evaporation, highlighting the irreversibility caused by negative heat capacity.

Findings

Parikh-Wilczek framework is suitable only for reversible processes.

Black hole evaporation is inherently irreversible due to negative heat capacity.

Irreversibility may lead to information loss in black hole evaporation.

Abstract

Parikh-Wilczek tunnelling framework is investigated again. We argue that Parikh-Wilczek's treatment, which satisfies the first law of black hole thermodynamics and consists with an underlying unitary theory, is only suitable for a reversible process. Because of the negative heat capacity, an evaporating black hole is a highly unstable system. That is, the factual emission process is irreversible, the unitary theory will not be satisfied and the information loss is possible.