The black hole tunnel phenomenon

Abstract

The potentials of spin-weighted wave equations in various Kerr-Newman black holes are analyzed. They all form singular potential barriers at the event horizon. Applying the WKB approximation it is shown that no particle can tunnel out of the interior of a static black hole. However, photons inside a non-extremely rotating Kerr black hole may tunnel out into the outer space, whereas neutrinos, electrons, and gravitons may not. If the rotation is extremal, any particle may tunnel out, under restrictive conditions. It is unknown whether photons and gravitons may tunnel out if the black hole is charged and rotating.