IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN NO-HAIR BEHAVIOR AND UNIVERSALITY IN GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE

We apply linear perturbation theory to the study of the universality a nd criticality first observed by Choptuik in gravitational collapse. S ince these are essentially nonlinear phenomena our approach provides a rough approximation. In spite of this, universal behavior of the fina l black hole mass is observed with an exponent only slightly higher th an the observed value of 0.367. The universal behavior is based on the unique form that in-falling perturbations on black holes have at the horizon.