Path-integral derivation of black-hole radiance
Phys. Rev. D 13, 2188 – Published 15 April, 1976
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.13.2188
Abstract
The Feynman path-integral method is applied to the quantum mechanics of a scalar particle moving in the background geometry of a Schwarzschild black hole. The amplitude for the black hole to emit a scalar particle in a particular mode is expressed as a sum over paths connecting the future singularity and infinity. By analytic continuation in the complexified Schwarzschild space this amplitude is related to that for a particle to propagate from the past singularity to infinity and hence by time reversal to the amplitude for the black hole to absorb a particle in the same mode. The form of the connection between the emission and absorption probabilities shows that a Schwarzschild black hole will emit scalar particles with a thermal spectrum characterized by a temperature which is related to its mass, , by . Thereby a conceptually simple derivation of black-hole radiance is obtained. The extension of this result to other spin fields and other black-hole geometries is discussed.
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The Work of Stephen Hawking in Physical Review
To mark the passing of Stephen Hawking, we gathered together his 55 papers in Physical Review D and Physical Review Letters. They probe the edges of space and time, from "Black holes and thermodynamics” to "Wave function of the Universe."