QUANTUM gravitational effects are usually ignored in calculations of the formation and evolution of black holes. The justification for this is that the radius of curvature of space-time outside the event horizon is very large compared to the Planck length (Għ/c3)1/2 ≈ 10−33 cm, the length scale on which quantum fluctuations of the metric are expected to be of order unity. This means that the energy density of particles created by the gravitational field is small compared to the space-time curvature. Even though quantum effects may be small locally, they may still, however, add up to produce a significant effect over the lifetime of the Universe ≈ 1017 s which is very long compared to the Planck time ≈ 10−43 s. The purpose of this letter is to show that this indeed may be the case: it seems that any black hole will create and emit particles such as neutrinos or photons at just the rate that one would expect if the black hole was a body with a temperature of (κ/2π) (ħ/2k) ≈ 10−6 (M/M)K where κ is the surface gravity of the black hole1. As a black hole emits this thermal radiation one would expect it to lose mass. This in turn would increase the surface gravity and so increase the rate of emission. The black hole would therefore have a finite life of the order of 1071 (M/M)−3 s. For a black hole of solar mass this is much longer than the age of the Universe. There might, however, be much smaller black holes which were formed by fluctuations in the early Universe2. Any such black hole of mass less than 1015 g would have evaporated by now. Near the end of its life the rate of emission would be very high and about 1030 erg would be released in the last 0.1 s. This is a fairly small explosion by astronomical standards but it is equivalent to about 1 million 1 Mton hydrogen bombs. It is often said that nothing can escape from a black hole. But in 1974, Stephen Hawking realized that, owing to quantum effects, black holes should emit particles with a thermal distribution of energies — as if the black hole had a temperature inversely proportional to its mass. In addition to putting black-hole thermodynamics on a firmer footing, this discovery led Hawking to postulate 'black hole explosions', as primordial black holes end their lives in an accelerating release of energy.

Black Hole Explosions

We review different dark energy cosmologies. In particular, we present the ΛCDM cosmology, Little Rip and Pseudo-Rip universes, the phantom and quintessence cosmologies with Type I, II, III and IV finite-time future singularities and non-singular dark energy universes. In the first part, we explain the ΛCDM model and well-established observational tests which constrain the current cosmic acceleration. After that, we investigate the dark fluid universe where a fluid has quite general equation of state (EoS) [including inhomogeneous or imperfect EoS]. All the above dark energy cosmologies for different fluids are explicitly realized, and their properties are also explored. It is shown that all the above dark energy universes may mimic the ΛCDM model currently, consistent with the recent observational data. Furthermore, special attention is paid to the equivalence of different dark energy models. We consider single and multiple scalar field theories, tachyon scalar theory and holographic dark energy as models for current acceleration with the features of quintessence/phantom cosmology, and demonstrate their equivalence to the corresponding fluid descriptions. In the second part, we study another equivalent class of dark energy models which includes F(R) gravity as well as F(R) Hořava-Lifshitz gravity and the teleparallel f(T) gravity. The cosmology of such models representing the ΛCDM-like universe or the accelerating expansion with the quintessence/phantom nature is described. Finally, we approach the problem of testing dark energy and alternative gravity models to general relativity by cosmography. We show that degeneration among parameters can be removed by accurate data analysis of large data samples and also present the examples.

Dark energy cosmology: the equivalent description via different theoretical models and cosmography tests

We review different dark energy cosmologies. In particular, we present the $\Lambda$CDM cosmology, Little Rip and Pseudo-Rip universes, the phantom and quintessence cosmologies with Type I, II, III and IV finite-time future singularities and non-singular dark energy universes. In the first part, we explain the $\Lambda$CDM model and well-established observational tests which constrain the current cosmic acceleration. After that, we investigate the dark fluid universe where a fluid has quite general equation of state (EoS) [including inhomogeneous or imperfect EoS]. All the above dark energy cosmologies for different fluids are explicitly realized, and their properties are also explored. It is shown that all the above dark energy universes may mimic the $\Lambda$CDM model currently, consistent with the recent observational data. Furthermore, special attention is paid to the equivalence of different dark energy models. We consider single and multiple scalar field theories, tachyon scalar theory and holographic dark energy as models for current acceleration with the features of quintessence/phantom cosmology, and demonstrate their equivalence to the corresponding fluid descriptions. In the second part, we study another equivalent class of dark energy models which includes $F(R)$ gravity as well as $F(R)$ Hořava-Lifshitz gravity and the teleparallel $f(T)$ gravity. The cosmology of such models representing the $\Lambda$CDM-like universe or the accelerating expansion with the quintessence/phantom nature is described. Finally, we approach the problem of testing dark energy and alternative gravity models to general relativity by cosmography. We show that degeneration among parameters can be removed by accurate data analysis of large data samples and also present the examples.

We review the question of whether the fundamental laws of nature limit our ability to probe arbitrarily short distances. First, we examine what insights can be gained from thought experiments for probes of shortest distances, and summarize what can be learned from different approaches to a theory of quantum gravity. Then we discuss some models that have been developed to implement a minimal length scale in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. These models have entered the literature as the generalized uncertainty principle or the modified dispersion relation, and have allowed the study of the effects of a minimal length scale in quantum mechanics, quantum electrodynamics, thermodynamics, black-hole physics and cosmology. Finally, we touch upon the question of ways to circumvent the manifestation of a minimal length scale in short-distance physics.

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Minimal Length Scale Scenarios for Quantum Gravity

We present the state of the art regarding the relation between the physics of Quantum Black Holes and Noncommutative Geometry. We start with a review of models proposed in the literature for describing deformations of General Relativity in the presence of noncommutativity, seen as an effective theory of Quantum Gravity. We study the resulting metrics, proposed to replace or at least to improve the conventional black hole solutions of Einstein's equation. In particular, we analyze noncommutative-inspired solutions obtained in terms of quasi-classical noncommutative coordinates: indeed because of their surprising new features, these solutions enable us to circumvent long standing problems with Quantum Field Theory in Curved Space and to cure the singular behavior of gravity at the centers of black holes. As a consequence, for the first time, we get a complete description of what we may call the black hole SCRAM, the shut down of the emission of thermal radiation from the black hole: in place of the conventional scenario of runaway evaporation in the Planck phase, we find a zero temperature final state, a stable black hole remnant, whose size and mass are determined uniquely in terms of the noncommutative parameter $\theta$. This result turns out to be of vital importance for the physics of the forthcoming experiments at the LHC, where mini black hole production is foreseen in extreme energy hadron collisions. Because of this, we devote the final part of this review to higher dimensional solutions and their phenomenological implications for TeV Gravity.

Noncommutative Black Holes, The Final Appeal To Quantum Gravity: A Review

Recently, there has been much attention devoted to resolving the quantum corrections to the Bekenstein-Hawking (black hole) entropy. In particular, many researchers have expressed a vested interest in fixing the coefficient of the subleading logarithmic term. In the current paper, we are able to make some degree of progress in this direction by utilizing the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). Notably, the GUP reduces to the conventional Heisenberg relation in situations of weak gravity but transcends it when gravitational effects can no longer be ignored. Ultimately, we formulate the quantum-corrected entropy in terms of an expansion that is consistent with all previous findings. Moreover, we demonstrate that the logarithmic prefactor (indeed, any coefficient of the expansion) can be expressed in terms of a single parameter that should be determinable via the fundamental theory.

When conceptual worlds collide: The generalized uncertainty principle and the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy

Planck-scale corrections to the black-hole radiation spectrum in the Parikh-Wilczek tunneling framework are calculated. The corrective terms arise from modifications in the expression of the surface gravity in terms of the mass-energy of the black hole-emitted particle system. The form of the new spectrum is discussed together with the possible consequences for the fate of black holes in the late stages of evaporation.

Hawking Radiation as Tunneling through the Quantum Horizon

Recently, Angheben et al1 have presented a refined method for calculating the (tree-level) black hole temperature by way of the tunneling paradigm Here, we demonstrate how their formalism can be suitably adapted to accommodate the (higher-order) effects of the gravitational back-reaction

On hawking radiation as tunneling with back-reaction

There has been recent speculation that the tunneling paradigm for Hawking radiation could — after quantum-gravitational effects have suitably been incorporated — provide a means for resolving the (black hole) information loss paradox. A prospective quantum-gravitational effect is the logarithmic-order correction to the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy/area law. In this paper, it is demonstrated that, even with the inclusion of the logarithmic correction (or, indeed, the quantum correction up to any perturbative order), the tunneling formalism is still unable to resolve the stated paradox. Moreover, we go on to show that the tunneling framework effectively constrains the coefficient of this logarithmic term to be non-negative. Significantly, the latter observation implies the necessity for including the canonical corrections in the quantum formulation of the black hole entropy.

On hawking radiation as tunneling with logarithmic corrections

There has been recent speculation that the tunneling paradigm for Hawking radiation could -- after quantum-gravitational effects have suitably been incorporated -- provide a means for resolving the (black hole) information loss paradox. A prospective quantum-gravitational effect is the logarithmic-order correction to the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy/area law. In this letter, it is demonstrated that, even with the inclusion of the logarithmic correction (or, indeed, the quantum correction up to any perturbative order), the tunneling formalism is still unable to resolve the stated paradox. Moreover, we go on to show that the tunneling framework effectively constrains the coefficient of this logarithmic term to be non-negative. Significantly, the latter observation implies the necessity for including the canonical corrections in the quantum formulation of the black hole entropy.

A. J. M. Medved

Papers

When conceptual worlds collide: The generalized uncertainty principle and the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy

Hawking Radiation as Tunneling through the Quantum Horizon

On hawking radiation as tunneling with back-reaction

On hawking radiation as tunneling with logarithmic corrections

On Hawking Radiation as Tunneling with Logarithmic Corrections