Exterior Schwarzschild initial data for degenerate apparent horizons

Abstract

In this note we show that if $g$ is a smooth Riemannian metric on $\mathbb{S}^2$ such that the first eigenvalue of the operator $L_g:=-\Delta_g +K_g$ satisfies $\lambda_1(L_g)=0$ then $(\mathbb{S}^2, g)$ arises as an apparent horizon in an asymptotically flat initial data set with ADM mass arbitrarily close to the associated Hawking mass $\sqrt{\text{area}(\mathbb{S}^2, g)/16\pi}$. In particular, this determines the Bartnik quasilocal mass (introduced by Bartnik \cite{Bartnik} in 1989) associated with $(\mathbb{S}^2, g)$ in this setting. We prove these by modifying the construction of Mantoulidis-Schoen \cite{MS} who proved the same results in the case $\lambda_1(L_g)>0$. It follows that $\lambda_1(g)\geq 0$ is necessary and sufficient for $(\mathbb{S}^2, g)$ to arise from an apparent horizon in an asyptotically flat space-time under the dominant energy condition and in the time symmetric setting, and that the Bartnik mass of the horizon is $\sqrt{\text{area}(\mathbb{S}^2, g)/16\pi}$.