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arXiv · hep-th/9511147

Decoherence of Black Holes by Hawking Radiation

J. -G. Demers·C. Kiefer
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Abstract

We discuss in detail the semiclassical approximation for the CGHS model of two-dimensional dilatonic black holes. This is achieved by a formal expansion of the full Wheeler-DeWitt equation and the momentum constraint in powers of the gravitational constant. In highest order, the classical CGHS solution is recovered. The next order yields a functional Schrödinger equation for quantum fields propagating on this background. We show explicitly how the Hawking radiation is recovered from this equation. Although described by a pure quantum state, the expectation value of the number operator exhibits a Planckian distribution with respect to the Hawking temperature. We then show how this Hawking radiation can lead to the decoherence of black hole superpositions. The cases of a superposition of a black hole with a white hole, as well as of a black hole with no hole, are treated explicitly.

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J. -G. Demers, C. Kiefer. 1995-11-21. Decoherence of Black Holes by Hawking Radiation. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.53.7050

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