# Fragmentation of general relativistic quasi-toroidal polytropes

## TL;DR

This paper explores how rotational instabilities in relativistic stars can cause fragmentation and off-center black hole formation, offering an alternative pathway for supermassive black hole creation.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that low-$T/|W|$ instabilities can lead to fragmentation and off-center horizon formation in differentially rotating relativistic stars.

## Key findings

- Low-$T/|W|$ instabilities cause fragmentation.
- Off-center horizon formation observed.
- Potential pathway for SMBH formation from supermassive stars.

## Abstract

We investigate the role of rotational instabilities in the context of black hole formation in relativistic stars. In addition to the standard scenario - an axially symmetric dynamical instability forming a horizon at the star's center - the recently found low-$T/|W|$ instabilities are shown to lead to fragmentation and off-center horizon formation in differentially rotating stars. This process might be an alternative pathway to produce SMBHs from supermassive stars with inefficient angular momentum transport.