Black hole formation by incoming electromagnetic radiation

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that pure electromagnetic radiation can lead to the formation of non-spherical black holes, and explores related phenomena like naked singularity destruction and white hole evaporation, within Einstein's theory.

Contribution

It shows that electromagnetic radiation alone can cause black hole formation and models related phenomena without violating energy conditions.

Findings

Electromagnetic radiation can form non-spherical black holes.

Both positive and negative masses are possible in the solution.

The solution models destruction of naked singularities and white hole evaporation.

Abstract

I revisit a known solution of the Einstein field equations to show that it describes the formation of non-spherical black holes by the collapse of pure electromagnetic monochromatic radiation. Both positive and negative masses are feasible without ever violating the dominant energy condition. The solution can also be used to model the destruction of naked singularities and the evaporation of white holes by emission or reception of light.