Quantum Dust Black Holes

Abstract

By analysing the infinite dimensional midisuperspace of spherically symmetric dust universes, and aply it to collapsing dust stars, one finds that the general quantum state is a bound state. This leads to discrete spectrum. In the case of a Schwarzschild black hole, the discrete spectrum implies Bekenstein area quantization: the area of the horizon is an integer multiple of the Planck area. Knowing the microscopic (quantum) states, we suggest a microscopic interpretation of the thermodynamics of black holes: the degeneracy of the quantum states forming a black hole, gives the Bekenstein- Hawking entropy. All other thermodynamical quantities can be derived by using the standard definitions.