Global and local horizon quantum mechanics

Horizons are classical causal structures that arise in systems with sharply defined energy and corresponding gravitational radius. A global gravitational radius operator can be introduced for a static and spherically symmetric quantum mechanical matter state by lifting the classical “Hamiltonian” constraint that relates the gravitational radius to the ADM mass, thus giving rise to a “horizon wave-function”. This minisuperspace-like formalism is shown here to be able to consistently describe also the local gravitational radius related to the Misner–Sharp mass function of the quantum source, provided its energy spectrum is determined by spatially localised modes.