Dimensional dependence of critical phenomena in black hole interiors

Abstract

We numerically investigate the interior dynamics of $D$ dimensional Reissner-Nordström (RN) black holes perturbed by a real scalar field. Strong perturbations destroy the null inner horizon and produce a spacelike singularity, whereas weaker perturbations preserve it with an areal radius that decreases as the perturbation amplitude increases. As the initial scalar field amplitude $A$ approaches its critical value $A^{*}$, the inner horizon radius decreases continuously to zero. Near criticality, this radius obeys the power law $r_{s}\propto|A-A^{*}|^γ$. In four dimensions, different initial scalar field profiles and initial RN black hole charges yield nearly identical critical exponents, $γ\simeq1/2$, supporting the universality of the scaling law. For $4\leq D\leq9$, the numerical results are well described by $γ\simeq1/(D-2)$. The corresponding scaling, $|A-A^{*}|\propto r_{s}^{D-2}$, indicates that the deviation of the initial parameter from its critical value is proportional to the area of the spherical cross section of the inner horizon.