1993/07/12 by Dieter R. Brill, Dieter Brill, Gary T. Horowitz +3 · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.49.840
published as Phys.Rev. D49 (1994) 840-852 · 30 pages, 8 figs., phyzzx
arxiv created 1993/07/12 · openalex publication_date 1994/01/15 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
There exists an upper limit on the mass of black holes when the cosmological constant \ensuremathΛ is positive. We study the collision of two black holes whose total mass exceeds this limit. Our investigation is based on a recently discovered exact solution describing the collision of Q=M black holes with \ensuremathΛ>0. The global structure of this solution is analyzed. We find that if the total mass is less than the extremal limit, then the black holes coalesce. If it is greater, then a naked singularity forms to the future of a Cauchy horizon. However, the horizon is not smooth. Generically, there is a mild curvature singularity, which still allows geodesics to be extended. The implications of these results for cosmic censorship are discussed.