A group theoretic approach to shear-free radiating stars

A systematic analysis of the junction condition, relating the radial pressure with the heat flow in a shear-free relativistic radiating star, is undertaken. This is a highly nonlinear partial differential equation in general. We obtain the Lie point symmetries that leave the boundary condition invariant. Using a linear combination of the symmetries, we transform the junction condition into ordinary differential equations. We present several new exact solutions to the junction condition. In each case we can identify the exact solution with a Lie point generator. Some of the solutions obtained satisfy the linear barotropic equation of state. As a special case we regain conformally flat models which were found previously. Our analysis highlights the interplay between Lie algebras, nonlinear differential equations and application to relativistic astrophysics.Comment: 11 pages, Submitted for publication, minor revision

Lovelock black holes surrounded by quintessence

Lovelock gravity consisting of the dimensionally continued Euler densities is a natural generalization of general relativity to higher dimensions such that equations of motion are still second order, and the theory is free of ghosts. A scalar field with a positive potential that yields an accelerating universe has been termed quintessence. We present exact black hole solutions in $D$-dimensional Lovelock gravity surrounded by quintessence matter and also perform a detailed thermodynamical study. Further, we find that the mass, entropy, and temperature of the black hole are corrected due to the quintessence background. In particular, we find that phase transition occurs with divergence of heat capacity at the critical horizon radius, and that specific heat becomes positive for $r_h<r_c$ allowing the black hole to become thermodynamically stable.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in EPJ