'Firewall' phenomenology with astrophysical neutrinos. (10th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Afshordi, Niayesh; Yazdi, Yasaman K
• Is Part Of: Classical and quantum gravity. Volume 33:Number 23(2016:Dec.)
• Publication Date: 2016-11-10
• Subjects: phenomenology of quantum gravity -- physics of black holes -- quantum aspects of black holes -- radiative transfer -- scattering -- neutrino -- muon -- pion -- and other elementary particles -- cosmic rays -- accretion and accretion disks; Quantum gravity -- Periodicals; Gravitation -- Periodicals; Relativity (Physics) -- Periodicals; Space and time -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 521.1
• DOI: 10.1088/0264-9381/33/23/235017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-9381

Abstract

Abstract: One of the most fundamental features of a black hole in general relativity is its event horizon: a boundary from which nothing can escape. There has been a recent surge of interest in the nature of these event horizons and their local neighbourhoods. In an attempt to resolve black hole information paradox(es), and more generally, to better understand the path towards quantum gravity, 'firewalls' have been proposed as an alternative to black hole event horizons. In this paper, we explore the phenomenological implications of black holes possessing a surface or 'firewall', and predict a potentially detectable signature of these firewalls in the form of a high energy astrophysical neutrino flux. We compute the spectrum of this neutrino flux in different models and show that it is a possible candidate for the source of the PeV neutrinos recently detected by IceCube. This opens up a new area of research, bridging the non-perturbative physics of quantum gravity with the observational black hole and high energy astrophysics.