Strings, black holes, and Lorentz contraction

1993/08/27 by Leonard Susskind · 189 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Classical mechanics #Contraction (grammar) #Length contraction #Lorentz covariance #Lorentz transformation #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Philosophy #Physics #Planck scale #Quantum #Quantum gravity #Quantum mechanics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #String theory #Theoretical physics #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.49.6606

published in Physical review. D. Particles, fields, gravitation, and cosmology/Physical review. D. Particles and fields 49(12), 6606-6611 (American Physical Society) · 13 pages, PHYZZX, Stanford preprint SU-ITP-93-21

arxiv created 1993/08/27 · openalex publication_date 1994/06/15 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Consistency of quantum mechanics in black hole physics requires unusual Lorentz transformation properties of the size and shape of physical systems with momentum beyond the Planck scale. A simple parton model illustrates the kind of behavior which is needed. It is then shown that conventional fundamental string theory shares these features.

Citations

• String theory and the principle of black hole complementarity
• Gedanken experiments involving black holes
• The black hole interpretation of string theory
• The Stretched Horizon and Black Hole Complementarity

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• Candidate for a background independent formulation of M theory
• Information spreading in interacting string field theory
• The strong and weak holographic principles
• Size and momentum of an infalling particle in the black hole interior
• What is the maximum rate at which entropy of a string can increase?
• Linking topological quantum field theory and nonperturbative quantum gravity