Geometrodynamics of Lovelock black holes

Abstract

Lovelock gravity is arguably the most natural higher curvature, higher dimensional generalization of Einstein's theory of gravity. As shown in a previous paper (Kunstatter et al. arXiv:1210.1566; Kunstatter et al. Classical Quantum Gravity, 29, 092001 (2012) (Fast Track); arXiv:1201.4904.), the Hamiltonian for spherically symmetric Lovelock gravity is as simple as that of general relativity when written in terms of geometrodynamical variables (i.e., the areal radius and mass function). This result paves the way to the study of critical phenomena in black hole formation and the quantum mechanics of Lovelock black holes.