The information loss problem and Hawking radiation as tunneling

Abstract

In this paper, we review some methods that tried to solve the information loss problem. In particular, we revisit the solution based on Hawking radiation as tunneling, and provide a detailed statistical interpretation on the black hole entropy in terms of the quantum tunneling probability of Hawking radiation from the black hole. In addition, we show that black hole evaporation is governed by a time-dependent Schrodinger equation that sends pure states into pure states rather than into mixed states (Hawking had originally established that the final result would be mixed states). This is further confirmation of the fact that black hole evaporation is unitary.