The discovery of a temperature seen by an accelerated fiducial observer adds a new dimension to the equivalence principle. Identical thermal effects can be expected to happen near the horizon of a very massive black hole. Nonetheless, in the case of a black hole a new phenomenon can take place, that is, evaporation.
In contrast to the Rindler case, the thermal atmosphere is not absolutely confined by the centrifugal potential. The particles of the thermal atmosphere will gradually leak through the barrier and carry off energy in the form of thermal radiation. The black hole is similar to a slightly leaky cavity containing thermal radiation. Most quanta in the thermal atmosphere have high angular momenta and reflect off the walls of the cavity. A small fraction of the particles carry very low angular momenta. For these particles, the walls are semi-transparent and the cavity slowly radiates its energy. This process that was first discovered by Hawking is referred to as Hawking radiation.
Related:
- What is a Black Hole?
- The Decay of Black Holes
- Bohr’s Original Quantum Theory of Spectra
- What is Dark Matter?
- What are Atom Traps?
