For asymptotically flat initial data of Einstein's equations satisfying an
energy condition, we show that the Penrose inequality holds between the ADM
mass and the area of an outermost apparent horizon, if the data are restricted
suitably. We prove this by generalizing Geroch's proof of monotonicity of the
Hawking mass under a smooth inverse mean curvature flow, for data with
non-negative Ricci scalar. Unlike Geroch we need not confine ourselves to
minimal surfaces as horizons. Modulo smoothness issues we also show that our
restrictions on the data can locally be fulfilled by a suitable choice of the
initial surface in a given spacetime.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, no figures. Some comments added. No essential
changes. To be published in Phys. Rev. Let
