Gravitational collapse of barotropic spherical fluids

TL;DR

This paper investigates the gravitational collapse of spherical barotropic fluids using a novel non-linear ODE approach, revealing conditions under which naked singularities can form without relying on traditional simplifying assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces a new method based on non-linear ODE techniques to analyze collapse without simplifying assumptions like self-similarity, advancing understanding of naked singularity formation.

Findings

Naked singularities can form in these collapse scenarios.

The approach avoids traditional assumptions like self-similarity.

Analytic mass functions near singularities are linked to naked singularity formation.

Abstract

The gravitational collapse of spherical, barotropic perfect fluids is analyzed here. For the first time, the final state of these systems is studied without resorting to simplifying assumptions - such as self-similarity - using a new approach based on non-linear o.d.e. techniques, and formation of naked singularities is shown to occur for solutions such that the mass function is analytic in a neighborhood of the spacetime singularity.