How Do We Detect the Charge of a Black Hole?

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SUMMARY

Charged black holes, also known as Reissner-Nordström black holes, exhibit characteristics such as charge and spin that are determined at the moment of their formation. Once formed, the event horizon prevents any observable causal effects from within the black hole, meaning external observers can only infer charge based on phenomena that occurred outside the event horizon. The electromagnetic force, mediated by photons, cannot escape a black hole, complicating the detection of its charge. Therefore, any changes in charge after formation are linked to external accretion processes.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Reissner-Nordström black holes
  • Familiarity with event horizons in black hole physics
  • Knowledge of electromagnetic force and photon behavior
  • Basic principles of black hole formation and evolution
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties and equations governing Reissner-Nordström black holes
  • Study the implications of event horizons on observable phenomena
  • Explore the role of accretion in black hole charge evolution
  • Investigate the relationship between charge and spin in black holes
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Astronomers, physicists, and students of astrophysics interested in black hole properties and their implications in theoretical physics.

superg33k
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So how do charged black holes work?

If its photons that are the carriers of the electromagentic force, and photons can't escape from a black hole. How can anything external to a black hole tell if it's charged or not?
 
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The observable characteristics of black holes are external phenomena...for example the charge and spin, if any, would be that which happened to exist at the moment the horizon was formed during initial collapse... and any changes as might accrete over time.

Once the black hole is formed there is no observable causal effect thru the horizon...its all "black" inisde...we can only observe what was formed outside the event horizon.
 

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