On Quantum Contributions to Black Hole Growth

Abstract

The effects of Wheeler's quantum foam on black hole growth are explored from an astrophysical perspective. Quantum fluctuations in the form of mini (10^-5 g) black holes can couple to macroscopic black holes and allow the latter to grow exponentially in mass on a time scale of ~10^9 years. Consequently, supermassive black holes can acquire a lot of their mass through these quantum contributions over the life time of the universe. This alleviates the need for very efficient forms of baryonic matter accretion more recent than a redshift z~6. Sgr A* in the Milky Way center is a candidate to verify this quantum space-time effect, with a predicted mass growth rate of 4x10^-3 Mo yr^-1. A few comments on the possibility and consequences of dark matter as quantum grown black holes are made, with a big crunch fate of the universe.