Worse than a big rip?

We show that a generalised phantom Chaplygin gas can present a future singularity in a finite future cosmic time. Unlike the big rip singularity, this singularity happens for a finite scale factor, but like the big rip singularity, it would also take place at a finite future cosmic time. In addition, we define a dual of the generalised phantom Chaplygin gas which satisfies the null energy condition. Then, in a Randall-Sundrum 1 brane-world scenario, we show that the same kind of singularity at a finite scale factor arises for a brane filled with a dual of the generalised phantom Chaplygin gas.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, RevTeX 4. Discussion expanded and references added. Version to appear in PL

On the strength of the Kerr singularity and cosmic censorship

It has been suggested by Israel that the Kerr singularity cannot be strong in the sense of Tipler, for it tends to cause repulsive effects. We show here that, contrary to that suggestion, nearly all null geodesics reaching this singularity do in fact terminate in Tipler's strong curvature singularity. Implications of this result are discussed in the context of an earlier cosmic censorship theorem which constraints the occurrence of Kerr-like naked singularities in generic collapse situations.Comment: RevTeX, 6 pages, no figures, to appear in Phys. Lett.

Naked Singularities in Spherically Symmetric Inhomogeneous Tolman-Bondi Dust Cloud Collapse

We investigate the occurrence and nature of naked singularity for the inhomogeneous gravitational collapse of Tolman-Bondi dust clouds.It is shown that the naked singularities form at the center of the collapsing cloud in a wide class of collapse models which includes the earlier cases considered by Eardley and Smarr and Christodoulou. This class also contains self-similar as well as non-self-similar models. The structure and strength of this singularity is examined and the question is investigated as to when a non-zero measure set of non-spacelike trajectories could be emitted from the singularity as opposed to isolated trajectories coming out. It is seen that the weak energy condition and positivity of energy density ensures that the families of non-spacelike trajectories come out of the singularity. The curvature strength of the naked singularity is examined which provides an important test for its physical significance and powerful curvature growth near the naked singularity is pointed out for several subclasses considered. The conditions are discussed for the naked singularity to be globally naked. Implications for the basic issue of the final fate of gravitational collapse are considered once the inhomogeneities in the matter distribution are taken into account. It is argued that a physical formulation for the cosmic censorship may be evolved which avoids the features above. Possibilities in this direction are discussed while indicating that the analysis presented here should be useful for any possible rigorous formulation of the cosmic censorship hypothesis.Comment: 41 pages, TIFR preprint TAP 9/9

Quantum effects, soft singularities and the fate of the universe in a braneworld cosmology

We examine a class of braneworld models in which the expanding universe encounters a "quiescent" future singularity. At a quiescent singularity, the energy density and pressure of the cosmic fluid as well as the Hubble parameter remain finite while all derivatives of the Hubble parameter diverge (i.e., ${\dot H}$, ${\ddot H}$, etc. $\to \infty$). Since the Kretschmann invariant diverges ($R_{iklm}R^{iklm} \to \infty$) at the singularity, one expects quantum effects to play an important role as the quiescent singularity is approached. We explore the effects of vacuum polarization due to massless conformally coupled fields near the singularity and show that these can either cause the universe to recollapse or, else, lead to a softer singularity at which $H$, ${\dot H}$, and ${\ddot H}$ remain finite while ${\dddot H}$ and higher derivatives of the Hubble parameter diverge. An important aspect of the quiescent singularity is that it is encountered in regions of low density, which has obvious implications for a universe consisting of a cosmic web of high and low density regions -- superclusters and voids. In addition to vacuum polarization, the effects of quantum particle production of non-conformal fields are also likely to be important. A preliminary examination shows that intense particle production can lead to an accelerating universe whose Hubble parameter shows oscillations about a constant value.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, text slightly improved and references added. Accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravit

On the back reaction of gravitational and particle emission and absorption from straight thick cosmic strings: A toy model

The emission and absorption of gravitational waves and massless particles of an infinitely long straight cosmic string with finite thickness are studied. It is shown in a general term that the back reaction of the emission and absorption {\em always} makes the symmetry axis of the string singular. The singularity is a scalar singularity and cannot be removed.Comment: To appear in Gen. Relativ. Gra

Singularity in Gravitational Collapse of Plane Symmetric Charged Vaidya Spacetime

We study the final outcome of gravitational collapse resulting from the plane symmetric charged Vaidya spacetime. Using the field equations, we show that the weak energy condition is always satisfied by collapsing fluid. It is found that the singularity formed is naked. The strength of singularity is also investigated by using Nolan's method. This turns out to be a strong curvature singularity in Tipler's sense and hence provides a counter example to the cosmic censorship hypothesis.Comment: 8 pages, accepted for publication in Mod. Phys. Lett