Re: Singularity Temperature

[Michael Bowen <fizzbowen@MINDSPRING.COM>]

"Glenn A. Carlson" wrote:
> But I assert that the temperature of matter inside the black hole (though
> not at the singularity) is just as real and no different that the
> temperature of matter outside the black hole.  The temperature of matter
> inside a black hole is only unobservable from outside the black hole.  If
> you are inside a black hole, you can measure the temperature of infalling
> matter in just the same way as if you were outside the black hole.  You
> just wouldn't be able to communicate your measurement to anyone outside the
> black hole.

This response brings somewhat unrelated questions to my mind; perhaps
someone on the list can address one or more of them.

My understanding (which is quite possibly incorrect) is that a
material object (m > 0) located inside the event horizon of a
non-rotating black hole cannot move outside of the event horizon (that
is, "escape") because, at least in principle, an infinite amount of
energy would have to be added to the object in order for it to escape
the singularity's gravitational well. (Equivalently, the escape
velocity from points inside the event horizon exceeds c.)

Questions: Can a chunk of ordinary matter (say, a brick or an
electron) initially located somewhere outside the event horizon (and
totally free to move under gravitational influence from an initial
velocity of zero) actually pass through to the horizon's interior, or
does such matter approach the horizon in some asymptotic manner? I ask
this because if the chunk must gain an infinite amount of
gravitational potential energy to pass outward through the horizon,
must it not also lose the same amount to pass the other way? If it is
possible to pass through the event horizon inbound (that is, to "fall"
through), how is the inbound/outbound symmetry broken? (Or, perhaps,
what causes the process to be irreversible?) Does the idea of "passing
through" the event horizon even make sense? Or is the process, if it
occurs, more akin to quantum mechanical "tunneling"?

I am assuming that the matter chunk in question is sufficiently small
(or of sufficiently rugged construction) that destruction due to tidal
forces while still outside the event horizon is not of concern, unless
of course it is pertinent to the explanation.

--MB