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    Local calculation of decoherence of quantum superposition in static black holes

    Ran Li1,*, Zhong-Xiao Man1,†, and Jin Wang2,‡

    • *Contact author: liran@qfnu.edu.cn
    • †Contact author: zxman@qfnu.edu.cn
    • ‡Contact author: jin.wang.1@stonybrook.edu

    Phys. Rev. D 114, 044028 – Published 10 August, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/sk99-23td

    Abstract

    We investigate the decoherence of a quantum spatial superposition of a static particle in Schwarzschild and Reissner-Nordström black holes. By treating the particle as a localized classical source coupled to a quantum scalar field, we reformulate the decoherence process in the Danielson-Satishchandran-Wald gedankenexperiment through coherent state generation and derive the local expression for the decoherence functional in terms of the Wightman function. In the long-time limit, the decoherence rate is shown to be characterized by the low-frequency behavior of the Wightman function. We then employ the asymptotic matching method to calculate the analytical expressions of the Wightman functions in the Boulware, Unruh, and Hartle-Hawking vacua. We show that the decoherence behavior depends on the quantum state of the environmental field. While the Boulware vacuum gives vanishing decoherence for a static superposition, the thermal effects associated with Hawking radiation in the Unruh and Hartle-Hawking vacua can induce nonvanishing decoherence.

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