How does the event horizon of a black hole form during the collapse of a star?

In summary, Stephen Hawking offers a new resolution to the black hole paradox, which is that the event horizon is not always created at zero radius. black holes with a smaller minimum mass begin with a nonzero radius. They grow rapidly from that point forward depending on the infall rate.
  • #1
anorlunda
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I was reading Stephen Hawking offers new resolution of black hole paradox. Most is over my head but when he mentions particles falling in through the EH, it raises a question.

When a BH is created in a collapsing star, does the EH first appear at zero radius and grow outward, or does the EH first appear with non-zero radius? In the latter case, there would be some stellar mass captured inside that never did fall in through the EH.
 
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  • #2
anorlunda said:
does the EH first appear at zero radius and grow outward, or does the EH first appear with non-zero radius?

The latter.
 
  • #3
The event horizon is defined by the mass of the star. Once the collapsing star radius is smaller than the event horizon radius, it is a black hole.
 
  • #4
mathman said:
The event horizon is defined by the mass of the star. Once the collapsing star radius is smaller than the event horizon radius, it is a black hole.

It is not that easy (even without rotation) because the event horizon appears inside the collapsing star.
 
  • #5
anorlunda said:
When a BH is created in a collapsing star, does the EH first appear at zero radius and grow outward, or does the EH first appear with non-zero radius? In the latter case, there would be some stellar mass captured inside that never did fall in through the EH.

You might find this link useful- http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/bh-st.html
 
  • #6
Thanks for the replies. But now I don't understand how Hawking can say that a hologram at the event horizon resolves the information paradox.

The Information Paradox for Black Holes
S. W. Hawking
http://arxiv.org/abs/1509.01147

Hawking's reasoning seems to apply only to particles that fell in through the EH. It would not address the information of mass trapped inside during stellar collapse which never did cross the EH.
 
  • #7
Since the minimum mass necessary to form a black hole is the Planck mass, it appears safe to deduce all black holes begin with a non zero radius. I would expect them to grow rapidly, and possibly frenetically, from that point forward depending on the infall rate. I have no clue how you might go about calculating a minimum, or maximum infall rates. Given the smallest known black hole is about 5 solar masses, that is a pretty sizable discrepancy between any theoretical minimum and the observed minimum. I doubt many theorists have enough knowledge of condensed matter physics and happen to be maschistic enough to try and reconstruct a black hole from the ground up.
 

Related to How does the event horizon of a black hole form during the collapse of a star?

1. What is "Initial EH" in a collapsing star?

"Initial EH" stands for "initial event horizon" and refers to the boundary around a collapsing star where the escape velocity exceeds the speed of light. This boundary marks the point of no return for any matter or light that gets pulled into the collapsing star.

2. How is "Initial EH" different from a black hole?

The "Initial EH" is the first event horizon to form during the collapse of a star, while a black hole is the final stage of a collapsed star where the event horizon is fully formed. The "Initial EH" is temporary and can potentially disappear if the star stops collapsing, whereas a black hole is permanent.

3. What causes a collapsing star to form an "Initial EH"?

As a star runs out of fuel, it can no longer produce enough energy to counteract the force of gravity. The star begins to collapse under its own weight, and as it collapses, the escape velocity at its surface increases until it reaches the speed of light, creating the "Initial EH".

4. Can we observe "Initial EH" in collapsing stars?

It is not currently possible to observe the "Initial EH" in collapsing stars as they are typically located in very distant and dense regions of space. However, scientists can use mathematical models and simulations to study the formation and behavior of "Initial EH" in collapsing stars.

5. What is the significance of studying "Initial EH" in collapsing stars?

Studying "Initial EH" can provide valuable insights into the process of stellar collapse and the formation of black holes. It can also help us better understand the behavior of matter and energy under extreme conditions, which can have implications for our understanding of the universe as a whole.

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