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J. Gegenberg

Publications and source records attributed to J. Gegenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

2-D Midisuperspace Models for Quantum Black Holes

Dimensionally reduced spherically symmetric gravity and its generalization, generic 2-D dilaton gravity, provide ideal theoretical laboratories for the study of black hole quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. They are sufficiently simple to be tractable but contain enough structure to allow the study of many deep issues in quantum gravity, such as the endpoint of Hawking radiation and the source of black hole entropy. This article reviews recent progress in a particular geometrical approach to the study of quantum black holes in generic 2-d dilaton gravity.

gr-qc

A Partially Gauged Fixed Hamiltonian for Scalar Field Collapse

We derive a partially gauge fixed Hamiltonian for black hole formation via real scalar field collapse. The class of models considered includes many theories of physical interest, including spherically symmetric black holes in $D$ spacetime dimensions. The boundary and gauge fixing conditions are chosen to be consistent with generalized Painleve-Gullstrand coordinates, in which the metric is regular across the black hole future horizon. The resulting Hamiltonian is remarkably simple and we argue that it provides a good starting point for studying the quantum dynamics of black hole formation.

gr-qc

The Fixed Points of RG Flow with a Tachyon

We examine the fixed points to first-order RG flow of a non-linear sigma model with background metric, dilaton and tachyon fields. We show that on compact target spaces, the existence of fixed points with non-zero tachyon is linked to the sign of the second derivative of the tachyon potential $V''(T)$ (this is the analogue of a result of Bourguignon for the zero-tachyon case). For a tachyon potential with only the leading term, such fixed points are possible. On non-compact target spaces, we introduce a small non-zero tachyon and compute the correction to the Euclidean 2d black hole (cigar) solution at second order in perturbation theory with a tachyon potential containing a cubic term as well. The corrections to the metric, tachyon and dilaton are well-behaved at this order and tachyon `hair' persists. We also briefly discuss solutions to the RG flow equations in the presence of a tachyon that suggest a comparison to dynamical fixed point solutions obtained by Yang and Zwiebach.

hep-th

Quantum Structure of Space Near a Black Hole Horizon

We describe a midi-superspace quantization scheme for generic single horizon black holes in which only the spatial diffeomorphisms are fixed. The remaining Hamiltonian constraint yields an infinite set of decoupled eigenvalue equations: one at each spatial point. The corresponding operator at each point is the product of the outgoing and ingoing null convergences, and describes the scale invariant quantum mechanics of a particle moving in an attractive $1/X^2$ potential. The variable $X$ that is analoguous to particle position is the square root of the conformal mode of the metric. We quantize the theory via Bohr quantization, which by construction turns the Hamiltonian constraint eigenvalue equation into a finite difference equation. The resulting spectrum gives rise to a discrete spatial topology exterior to the horizon. The spectrum approaches the continuum in the asymptotic region.

gr-qc

Ricci Flow of 3-D Manifolds with One Killing Vector

We implement a suggestion by Bakas and consider the Ricci flow of 3-d manifolds with one Killing vector by dimensional reduction to the corresponding flow of a 2-d manifold plus scalar (dilaton) field. By suitably modifying the flow equations in order to make them manifestly parabolic, we are able to show that the equations for the 2-d geometry can be put in the form explicitly solved by Bakas using a continual analogue of the Toda field equations. The only remaining equation, namely that of the scale factor of the extra dimension, is a linear equation that can be readily solved using standard techniques once the 2-geometry is specified. We illustrate the method with a couple of specific examples.

hep-th

Using 3D Stringy Gravity to Understand the Thurston Conjecture

We present a string inspired 3D Euclidean field theory as the starting point for a modified Ricci flow analysis of the Thurston conjecture. In addition to the metric, the theory contains a dilaton, an antisymmetric tensor field and a Maxwell-Chern Simons field. For constant dilaton, the theory appears to obey a Birkhoff theorem which allows only nine possible classes of solutions, depending on the signs of the parameters in the action. Eight of these correspond to the eight Thurston geometries, while the ninth describes the metric of a squashed three sphere. It therefore appears that one can construct modified Ricci flow equations in which the topology of the geometry is encoded in the parameters of an underlying field theory.

hep-th

Thurston Geometries from Eleven Dimensions

In three dimensions, a `master theory' for all Thurston geometries requires imaginary flux. However, these geometries can be obtained from physical three-dimensional theories with various additional scalar fields, which can be interpreted as moduli in various compactifications of a higher-dimensional `master theory'. Three Thurston geometries are of the form N_2 x S^1, where N_2 denotes a two-dimensional Riemannian space of constant curvature. This enables us to twist these spaces, via T-duality, into other Thurston geometries as a U(1) bundle over N_2. In this way, Hopf T-duality relates all but one of the geometries in the higher-dimensional M-theoretic framework. The exception is the `Sol geometry,' which results from the dimensional reduction of the decoupling limit of the D3-brane in a background B-field.

hep-th

Can Black Holes Decay to Naked Singularities?

We investigate thermodynamic properties of two types of asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetimes: black holes and singular scalar field spacetimes. We describe the possibility that thermodynamic phase transitions can transform one spacetime into another, suggesting that black holes can radiate to naked singularities.

gr-qc

Scalar field spacetimes and the AdS/CFT conjecture

We describe a class of asymptotically AdS scalar field spacetimes, and calculate the associated conserved charges for three, four and five spacetime dimensions using the conformal and counter-term prescriptions. The energy associated with the solutions in each case is proportional to $\sqrt{M^2 - k^2}$, where $M$ is a constant and $k$ is a scalar charge. In five spacetime dimensions, the counter-term prescription gives an additional vacuum (Casimir) energy, which agrees with that found in the context of AdS/CFT correspondence. We find a surprising degeneracy: the energy of the ``extremal'' scalar field solution $M=k$ equals the energy of pure AdS. This result is discussed in light of the AdS/CFT conjecture.

hep-th

Boundary Dynamics of Higher Dimensional Chern-Simons Gravity

We review the relevance to the black hole entropy problem of boundary dynamics in Chern-Simons gravity. We then describe a recent derivation of the action induced on the four dimensional boundary in a five dimensional Chern-Simons gravity theory with gauge invariant, anti-deSitter boundary conditions.

hep-th

Boundary Dynamics of Higher Dimensional AdS Spacetime

We examine the dynamics induced on the four dimensional boundary of a five dimensional anti-deSitter spacetime by the five dimensional Chern-Simons theory with gauge group the direct product of SO(4,2) with U(1). We show that, given boundary conditions compatible with the geometry of 5d AdS spacetime in the asymptotic region, the induced surface theory is the $WZW_4$ model.

hep-th

Gravity From Topological Field Theory

We construct a topological field theory which, on the one hand, generalizes BF theories in that there is non-trivial coupling to `topological matter fields'; and, on the other, generalizes the three-dimensional model of Carlip and Gegenberg to arbitrary dimensional manifolds. Like the three dimensional model, the theory can be considered to describe a gravitational field interacting with topological matter. In particular, in two dimensions, the model is that of gravity on a torus. In four dimensions, the model is shown to admit constant curvature black hole solutions.

hep-th

Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Induced Liouville Gravity

In this paper we describe a Liouville gravity which is induced by a set of quantum fields (constituents) and represents a two-dimensional analog of Sakharov's induced gravity. The important feature of the considered theory is the presence of massless constituents which are responsible for the appearance of the induced Liouville field. The role of the massive constituents is only to induce the cosmological constant. We consider the instanton solutions of the Euclidean Liouville gravity with negative and zero cosmological constants, some instantons being interpreted as two-dimensional anti-de Sitter $AdS_2$ black holes. We study thermodynamics of all the solutions and conclude that their entropy is completely determined by the statistical-mechanical entropy of the massless constituents. This shows, in particular, that the constituents of the induced gravity are the true degrees of freedom of $AdS_2$ black holes. Special attention is also paid to the induced Liouville gravity with zero cosmological constant on a torus. We demonstrate the equivalence of its thermodynamics to the thermodynamics of BTZ black holes and comment on computations of the BTZ black hole entropy.

hep-th

The Geometrodynamics of Sine-Gordon Solitons

The relationship between N-soliton solutions to the Euclidean sine-Gordon equation and Lorentzian black holes in Jackiw-Teitelboim dilaton gravity is investigated, with emphasis on the important role played by the dilaton in determining the black hole geometry. We show how an N-soliton solution can be used to construct ``sine-Gordon'' coordinates for a black hole of mass M, and construct the transformation to more standard ``Schwarzchild-like'' coordinates. For N=1 and 2, we find explicit closed form solutions to the dilaton equations of motion in soliton coordinates, and find the relationship between the soliton parameters and the black hole mass. Remarkably, the black hole mass is non-negative for arbitrary soliton parameters. In the one-soliton case the coordinates are shown to cover smoothly a region containing the whole interior of the black hole as well as a finite neighbourhood outside the horizon. A Hamiltonian analysis is performed for slicings that approach the soliton coordinates on the interior, and it is shown that there is no boundary contribution from the interior. Finally we speculate on the sine-Gordon solitonic origin of black hole statistical mechanics.

hep-th

Sine-Gordon Solitons and Black Holes

In the talk, the relationship between black holes in Jackiw-Teitelboim(JT) dilaton gravity and solitons in sine-Gordon field theory is described. The well-known connection between solutions of the sine-Gordon equation and constant curvature metrics is reviewed and expanded. In particular, it is shown that solutions to the dilaton field equations for a given metric in JT theory also solve the sine-Gordon equation linearized about the corresponding soliton. Next, it is shown that from the B${\ddot a}$cklund transformations relating different soliton solutions, it is possible to construct a flat SL(2,R) connection which forms the basis for the gauge theory formulation of JT dilaton gravity. Finally, the supersymmetric generalization of sine-Gordon theory is reviewed, leading to a new approach to the problem of the origin of low dimensional black hole entropy.

hep-th

Solitons and Black Holes

We explore the relationship between black holes in Jackiw-Teitelboim(JT) dilaton gravity and solitons in sine-Gordon field theory. Our analysis expands on the well known connection between solutions of the sine-Gordon equation and constant curvature metrics. In particular, we show that solutions to the dilaton field equations for a given metric in JT theory also solve the sine-Gordon equation linearized about the corresponding soliton. Since the dilaton generates Killing vectors of the constant curvature metric, it is interesting that it has an analoguous interpretation in terms of symmetries of the soliton solution. We also show that from the B${\ddot a}$cklund transformations relating different soliton solutions, it is possible to construct a flat SL(2,R) connection which forms the basis for the gauge theory formulation of JT dilaton gravity.

hep-th

Back Reaction of Hawking Radiation on Black Hole Geometry

We propose a model for the geometry of a dynamical spherical shell in which the metric is asymptotically Schwarzschild, but deviates from Ricci-flatness in a finite neighbourhood of the shell. Hence, the geometry corresponds to a `hairy' black hole, with the hair originating on the shell. The metric is regular for an infalling shell, but it bifurcates, leading to two disconnected Schwarzschild-like spacetime geometries. The shell is interpreted as either collapsing matter or as Hawking radiation, depending on whether or not the shell is infalling or outgoing. In this model, the Hawking radiation results from tunnelling between the two geometries. Using this model, the back reaction correction from Hawking radiation is calculated.

gr-qc