Computational Complexity and Black Hole Horizons

Leonard Susskind

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arXiv · 1402.5674

Computational Complexity and Black Hole Horizons

Leonard Susskind

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Abstract

Computational complexity is essential to understanding the properties of black hole horizons. The problem of Alice creating a firewall behind the horizon of Bob's black hole is a problem of computational complexity. In general we find that while creating firewalls is possible, it is extremely difficult and probably impossible for black holes that form in sudden collapse, and then evaporate. On the other hand if the radiation is bottled up then after an exponentially long period of time firewalls may be common. It is possible that gravity will provide tools to study problems of complexity; especially the range of complexity between scrambling and exponential complexity.

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Leonard Susskind. 2014-02-23. Computational Complexity and Black Hole Horizons. https://arxiv.org/abs/1402.5674

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