The semiclassical energy outflux emerging from a collapsing shellConfirmed

by Noa Zilberman (Princeton)

Thursday May 28, 2026, 2:30 PM → 4:00 PM America/Toronto

PI/4-405 - Bob Room (Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics)

When a compact object collapses to form a black hole, quantum field theory predicts the emission of an energy outflux to future null infinity, which later relaxes to Hawking radiation. Within the semiclassical framework, we derive a simple, closed form, analytical expression for the energy outflux emitted from a spherical thin null shell collapsing to form a black hole. In particular, this energy outflux vanishes (quadratically in r-2M) as the shell approaches the horizon. This result refutes claims that the Hawking energy outflux originates from the collapsing body, showing instead that it develops in a broad strong-field region. Additionally, this vanishing implies that semiclassical backreaction cannot prevent or significantly affect the classical process of gravitational collapse and horizon formation (as sometimes claimed). [This talk is based on the joint work arXiv:2503.00622 (PRLA 135, 021401, 2025) with Amos Ori.]