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Physics Colloquium, March 4, 2003Vacuum Energy and Condensate Stars: A Quantum Alternative to Classical Black HolesEmil MottolaLos Alamos National LaboratoryThe difficulties in reconciling general relativity with quantum theory are nowhere better illustrated than in the very small but non-zero `weight' of the vacuum apparently pervading our universe, causing its expansion to accelerate; and the complete gravitational collapse of a dead star to a black hole singularity, which gives rise to a `quantum information paradox.' After reviewing the status of these problems in light of recent cosmological observations, I suggest that the gravitational vacuum may be viewed as a new kind of Bose-Einstein condensate or GBEC. Based on this idea of a quantum BEC phase transition in gravity, I discuss a proposal for the non-singular endpoint of collapse, a GBEC `star.' Like a black hole a collapsed object of this kind would be cold and dark, but unlike a classical black hole a GBEC star has no singularities, no event horizons, and a global time. It is thermodynamically stable to further collapse and has no information paradox. Possible observational consequences of this proposal will be discussed, if time permits. 3.30 p.m., Smith Laboratory, Room 1005Refreshments served in Smith 1094 at 3:00 p.m. |
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