Non-occurrence of trapped surfaces and Black Holes in spherical gravitational collapse: An abridged version

TL;DR

This paper argues that spherical gravitational collapse does not produce trapped surfaces or black holes, suggesting that the final state is a zero-mass, singularity-free object that radiates away all its mass, resolving many longstanding paradoxes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that trapped surfaces do not form in spherical collapse, invalidating key singularity theorems and proposing a zero-mass final state, challenging traditional black hole models.

Findings

No trapped surfaces form during collapse.

Final state is a zero-mass, radiation-dominated object.

Resolves issues related to event horizons and information loss.

Abstract

We have shown in that for arbitrary EOS and radiation transport properties, (even) the idealized spherical gravitational collapse DOES NOT lead to the formation of trapped surfaces: 2GM(r,t)/R <=1. Hence all singularity theorems of Hawking, Penrose and Geroch, built on the assumption of formation of trapped surfaces, get invalidated! And this inequality, demands that M->0 if indeed R->0. We have shown that the final state corresponds to a zero mass BH state and, this state would occur only after infinite proper time indicating that GR is indeed the only naturally singularity free theory for isolated bodies (as was cherished by Einstein). This M->0 state would materialize after the body radiates its entire initial mass-energy. Thus there is no event horizon at any finite R or M, and, therefore all the great theoretical confusions like whether there could be (i) White Holes, (ii) whether t (R) becomes spacelike (timelike) inside the EH (iii) Loss of information in gravitational collapse, and (iv) validity of cosmic censorship conjecture get resolved. At any finite proper time, the collapsed object would be either static (z<2) or may appear static (R almost frozen) though, in extreme cases, internally, in terms of proper radial length, it might be collapsing at a speed ~c! We call the latter as Eternally Collapsing Objects.