Dark sector impact on gravitational collapse of an electrically charged scalar field

TL;DR

This study investigates how dark matter and dark energy influence the gravitational collapse of an electrically charged scalar field, revealing the formation of dynamical wormholes, naked singularities, and the suppression of Reissner-Nordström spacetimes.

Contribution

The paper presents the first comprehensive non-linear simulations of dark sector effects on charged scalar field collapse, highlighting their roles in determining end states and spacetime structures.

Findings

Dynamical wormholes and naked singularities can form during collapse.

Dark energy influences the type of resulting spacetime object.

Dark matter controls the collapse timescale and suppresses Reissner-Nordström formation.

Abstract

Dark matter and dark energy are dominating components of the Universe. Their presence affects the course and results of processes, which are driven by the gravitational interaction. The objective of the paper was to examine the influence of the dark sector on the gravitational collapse of an electrically charged scalar field. A phantom scalar field was used as a model of dark energy in the system. Dark matter was modeled by a complex scalar field with a quartic potential, charged under a U(1)-gauge field. The dark components were coupled to the electrically charged scalar field via the exponential coupling and the gauge field-Maxwell field kinetic mixing, respectively. Complete non-linear simulations of the investigated process were performed. They were conducted from regular initial data to the end state, which was the matter dispersal or a singularity formation in a spacetime. During the collapse in the presence of dark energy dynamical wormholes and naked singularities were formed in emerging spacetimes. The wormhole throats were stabilized by the violation of the null energy condition, which occurred due to a significant increase of a value of the phantom scalar field function in its vicinity. The square of mass parameter of the dark matter scalar field potential controlled the formation of a Cauchy horizon or wormhole throats in the spacetime. The joint impact of dark energy and dark matter on the examined process indicated that the former decides what type of an object forms, while the latter controls the amount of time needed for the object to form. Additionally, the dark sector suppresses the natural tendency of an electrically charged scalar field to form a dynamical Reissner-Nordstr\"om spacetime during the gravitational collapse.