Information Loss and Anomalous Scattering

TL;DR

This paper applies 't Hooft's method to a 1+1 dimensional electrodynamics system with black hole analogues, demonstrating that the full quantum theory preserves information and resolves the apparent paradox seen in perturbation theory.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified model where 't Hooft's approach clarifies how information is conserved in black hole-like systems, providing an exact unitary S-matrix.

Findings

Perturbation theory suggests an information paradox.

Full quantum analysis shows unitarity and information conservation.

Exact S-matrix confirms no information loss.

Abstract

The approach of 't Hooft to the puzzles of black hole evaporation can be applied to a simpler system with analogous features. The system is $1+1$ dimensional electrodynamics in a linear dilaton background. Analogues of black holes, Hawking radiation and evaporation exist in this system. In perturbation theory there appears to be an information paradox but this gets resolved in the full quantum theory and there exists an exact $S$-matrix, which is fully unitary and information conserving. 't Hooft's method gives the leading terms in a systematic approximation to the exact result.