The black hole information paradox

TL;DR

This paper surveys the black hole information paradox, discusses recent arguments against remnants, and examines the implications of unitarity and causality on black hole internal states and production rates.

Contribution

It provides a concise overview of the paradox, critiques of remnants, and explores the assumptions affecting black hole state counting and production.

Findings

Remnants imply infinite internal states for Reissner Nordstrom black holes.

Infinite internal states lead to unphysical infinite production rates.

Recent arguments challenge the viability of black hole remnants.

Abstract

A concise survey of the black hole information paradox and its current status is given. A summary is also given of recent arguments against remnants. The assumptions underlying remnants, namely unitarity and causality, would imply that Reissner Nordstrom black holes have infinite internal states. These can be argued to lead to an unacceptable infinite production rate of such black holes in background fields. (To appear in the proceedings of the PASCOS symposium/Johns Hopkins Workshop, Baltimore, MD, March 22-25, 1995).