First Order Phase Transitions in Gravitational Collapse

TL;DR

This paper reports a new type of phase transition in gravitational collapse characterized by a finite gap in black-hole masses, resembling a first order phase transition, based on recent numerical simulations.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a first order phase transition in gravitational collapse driven by a sphaleron solution, contrasting previous models.

Findings

Identification of a finite mass gap in black-hole formation

Discovery of a phase transition behavior similar to first order transitions

Numerical evidence of critical phenomena in spherically symmetric collapse

Abstract

In recent numerical simulations of spherically symmetric gravitational collapse a new type of critical behaviour, dominated by a sphaleron solution, has been found. In contrast to the previously studied models, in this case there is a finite gap in the spectrum of black-hole masses which is reminiscent of a first order phase transition. We briefly summarize the essential features of this phase transition and describe the basic heuristic picture underlying the numerical phenomenology.