Hawking Radiation: Observational Proof, Quantum Fluctuations & More

In summary, there is some indirect evidence that suggests Hawking radiation might exist, but it has not yet been observed.
  • #1
spidey
213
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1. Do we have observational proof for hawking radiation? Or is it verified only theoritically?
2. why is that only negative energy photon goes into black hole and positive energy photon is going out from black hole? what if the reverse happens? do we have an observatinal proof for this?
3. can someone tell me about quantum fluctuations in simple terms?
4. why the quantum fluctuations happening only near event horizon? do we have any proof for this?
 
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  • #2
spidey said:
1. Do we have observational proof for hawking radiation? Or is it verified only theoritically?
I don't believe that Hawking Radiation has yet been observed.
2. why is that only negative energy photon goes into black hole and positive energy photon is going out from black hole? what if the reverse happens? do we have an observatinal proof for this?
3. can someone tell me about quantum fluctuations in simple terms?
Take a look here for an answer to these to questions.
4. why the quantum fluctuations happening only near event horizon? do we have any proof for this?
By vacuum fluctuations, I think you mean pair production from the vacuum; this does not just happen near the event horizon of a black hole, but everywhere. However, as that article above says, these virtual pairs annihilate each other shortly after they are produced anywhere else in space. It is only near an event horizon that we get Hawking radiation, since one of the particles falls into the event horizon, and so cannot annihilate with its partner.
 
  • #3
spidey said:
1. Do we have observational proof for hawking radiation? Or is it verified only theoritically?
There is no direct observational evidence concerning Hawking radiation, but there is some indirect evidence concerning the (directly related) circular Unruh radiation, which has been considered explaining why ultra-relativistic electrons in storage rings do not reach 100% polarization.
 
  • #4
Thank you for clearing my doubts...
 

1. What is Hawking radiation?

Hawking radiation is a theoretical concept proposed by physicist Stephen Hawking in 1974. It is a type of radiation that is emitted by black holes due to quantum fluctuations near the event horizon, which is the point of no return for objects falling into the black hole.

2. Is there any observational proof of Hawking radiation?

Currently, there is no direct observational proof of Hawking radiation. However, there have been indirect observations that support its existence, such as the observed decrease in the mass and energy of black holes over time and the detection of gamma-ray bursts that could be caused by Hawking radiation.

3. What causes Hawking radiation?

Hawking radiation is caused by the creation of particle-antiparticle pairs near the event horizon of a black hole. One particle falls into the black hole while the other escapes, resulting in a net loss of mass and energy for the black hole.

4. How does Hawking radiation relate to quantum mechanics?

Hawking radiation is a result of the combination of quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is based on the principle that particles and antiparticles can spontaneously appear and annihilate each other in empty space, but near the event horizon of a black hole, one particle can fall in while the other escapes, producing Hawking radiation.

5. Can Hawking radiation eventually cause a black hole to evaporate?

Yes, Hawking radiation can eventually cause a black hole to evaporate over a very long period of time. This process is known as black hole evaporation and is predicted to occur for smaller black holes with less mass. However, for larger black holes, the rate of evaporation is extremely slow and would take much longer than the current age of the universe.

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