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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Excising Cauchy horizons with nonlinear electrodynamics

Tomáš Hale1,*, Robie A. Hennigar2,†, and David Kubizňák1,‡

  • 1Institute of Theoretical Physics Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 180 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic
  • 2Centre for Particle Theory, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom

  • *Contact author: tomas.hale@utf.mff.cuni.cz
  • †Contact author: robie.a.hennigar@durham.ac.uk
  • ‡Contact author: david.kubiznak@matfyz.cuni.cz
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Phys. Rev. D 113, L061502 – Published 10 March, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/x8c8-j85k

Abstract

Charged and/or rotating black holes in general relativity feature Cauchy horizons, which indicate a breakdown of predictability in the theory. Focusing on spherically symmetric charged black holes, we remark that the inevitability of Reissner-Nordström Cauchy horizon is due to the divergent electromagnetic self-energy of point charges. We demonstrate that any causal theory of nonlinear electrodynamics that regularizes the point charge self-energy also eliminates Cauchy horizons for weakly charged black holes. These black holes feature one (event) horizon and a spacelike singularity, analogous to the Schwarzschild metric. An example with Born-Infeld electrodynamics illustrates how this gives rise to an upper bound on the charge, which we compare to known limits.

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Phys. Rev. D 113, L061502– Published 10 March, 2026
  • Received 7 July 2025
  • Accepted 11 December 2025
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