at the time, that it was an easy way for non experts to conceptualize whats happening. Thats what the author states

"This paper presents a new way to conceptualize stationary black holes, which we call the river model. The river model is mathematically sound, yet simple enough that the basic picture can be understood by non-experts. In the river model, space itself flows like a river through a flat background, while objects move through the river according to the rules of special relativity. In a spherical black hole, the river of space falls into the black hole at the Newtonian escape velocity, hitting the speed of light at the horizon. Inside the horizon, the river flows inward faster than light, carrying everything with it."

You can model things in different ways. If you can understand whats happening using this model then that is certainly ok. Spacetime in GR is background free and the theory is fully dynamical so everybody doesn't need to model it this way.

• Could this be considered the ... - duordi - November 25, 2004 - 02:45 UTC