Quantum singularities in the BTZ spacetime

Abstract

The spinless Ba\~nados-Teiltelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) spacetime is considered in the quantum theory context. Specially, we study the case of negative mass parameter using quantum test particles obeying the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations. We study if this classical singular spacetime, with a naked singularity at the origin, remains singular when tested with quantum particles. The need of additional information near the origin is confirmed for massive scalar particles and all the possible boundary conditions necessary to turn the spatial portion of the wave operator self-adjoint are found. When tested by massless scalar particles or fermions, the singularity is ``healed'' and no extra boundary condition are needed. Near infinity, no boundary conditions are necessary.