Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2016 / iii / Paper 311 / 4 / a

Use an affine parameter $\lambda$ along a generator of a null hypersurface. Its null twist vanishes by hypersurface orthogonality. The screen metric is positive definite, so ${\hat{\sigma }}^{ab}{\hat{\sigma }}_{ab}\ge 0$. The Einstein field equations and null energy condition imply $R_{ab}{U}^a{U}^b\ge 0$, giving from the Null Raychaudhuri equationStarting with ${\theta }_0<0$, the null expansion stays negative as long as the congruence remains regular. Set $z=-1/\theta >0$. Then $z^{\prime }={\theta }^{\prime }/{\theta }^2\le -1/2$, soA finite negative null expansion cannot persist to $\lambda -{\lambda }_0=2/|{\theta }_0|$. Thus the null focusing theorem givesThis is a focal breakdown of the transverse congruence, provided the generator and regular geometry extend that far; it is not by itself a curvature singularity or a statement that the individual null geodesic terminates there.

The second law of black-hole mechanics says that the total area of future event horizon cross-sections cannot decrease toward the future, assuming the classical Einstein field equations, the null energy condition, suitable global predictability and regularity, and here the stipulated future completeness of its generators.

A future event horizon is an achronal boundary generated by null geodesics. If a smooth generator had $\theta <0$, the null focusing theorem would produce a conjugate point to a spacelike surface within finite affine parameter. Future completeness lets the generator reach it, but beyond such a point it could no longer remain on the achronal boundary, a contradiction. Hence $\theta \ge 0$ wherever the null expansion is defined. A transported area element obeysEvery generator present on an early cut continues to a later cut without decreasing its area contribution. New generators can join at past endpoints, adding area; future endpoints in a regular spacetime are excluded. ThereforeThis argument also covers the sum of initially disconnected event horizons of the black holes in a merger. Nonsmooth crease sets require the standard regularity treatment; they do not provide a classical area-decrease loophole under these hypotheses. Quantum negative-energy flux can violate the classical null energy condition, so this is a classical black-hole area theorem, not an unconditional law for evaporating black holes.

For each initial Kerr black hole, $r_{+}=M+\sqrt{M^2-a^2}$ and the horizon area follows by integrating its induced metric:The final Schwarzschild black hole has area $16\pi M^{\prime 2}$. Applying the second law of black-hole mechanics to the sum of the two initial areas givesConsequently the radiated energy fraction satisfiesThe bound is $1-1/\sqrt{2}\approx 0.293$ for nonrotating initial holes and tends to $1/2$ as $|a|/M\to 1$. It is an upper bound from area alone, not a predicted efficiency or an assurance that equality is realizable. A final Schwarzschild black hole has zero angular momentum; any nonzero total initial angular momentum must also be removed or compensated, which can further restrict a physical merger.