Negative energy in Hawking radiation

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Demystifier
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At a descriptive level, negative energy quanta enter a black hole during Hawking radiation. But when one tries to understand it mathematically, it seems that negative "energies" appear in two very different senses, which seem to be totally unrelated to each other. At one level one has Bogoliubov modes with negative frequencies, i.e. modes proportional to ##e^{-i\omega t}## where ##\omega## is negative and ##t## is a certain coordinate time. At another level one has negative flux of energy through the horizon, computed from the renormalized expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor. But it seems to me that those two notions of "negative energy" are totally unrelated to each other. Or at least I don't see how they are related. Is there a relation between them that I miss?
 
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Demystifier said:
Is there a relation between them that I miss?
Not that I'm aware of. I believe the disconnect between the various heuristic descriptions of Hawking radiation has been commented on in the literature. Another disconnect is between both of your descriptions and the "pair of virtual particles with one falling into the hole and the other escaping to infinity" description.
 
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FAQ: Negative energy in Hawking radiation

What is negative energy in the context of Hawking radiation?

Negative energy in the context of Hawking radiation refers to the theoretical concept where particles with negative energy are absorbed by a black hole, allowing it to lose mass. This occurs at the event horizon where quantum effects allow for the creation of particle-antiparticle pairs. One of these particles falls into the black hole with negative energy, effectively reducing the black hole's mass, while the other escapes as Hawking radiation.

How does negative energy contribute to black hole evaporation?

Negative energy contributes to black hole evaporation by reducing the mass of the black hole. When a particle with negative energy falls into the black hole, it counteracts the mass of the black hole. Over time, as more and more negative energy particles are absorbed, the black hole loses mass and eventually can evaporate completely if it radiates away all its mass.

Is negative energy a real physical entity or just a theoretical construct?

Negative energy, in the context of Hawking radiation, is primarily a theoretical construct derived from the principles of quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is not something that has been directly observed, but it is a necessary component of the mathematical framework that describes the process of black hole evaporation through Hawking radiation.

Can negative energy exist outside of black holes and Hawking radiation?

In theory, negative energy can exist outside of black holes and Hawking radiation, particularly in the context of exotic matter and certain solutions to the equations of general relativity. However, such forms of negative energy are purely speculative and have not been observed in any practical or empirical setting.

What are the implications of negative energy for the future of black hole research?

The concept of negative energy has profound implications for the future of black hole research. It provides a mechanism for black hole evaporation, which has significant consequences for our understanding of black hole thermodynamics, information paradoxes, and the ultimate fate of black holes in the universe. Further research into negative energy and Hawking radiation could potentially lead to new insights into quantum gravity and the unification of general relativity and quantum mechanics.

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