Gravitational collapse of generalised Vaidya spacetime

We study the gravitational collapse of a generalised Vaidya spacetime in the context of the Cosmic Censorship hypothesis. We develop a general mathematical framework to study the conditions on the mass function so that future directed non-spacelike geodesics can terminate at the singularity in the past. Thus our result generalises earlier works on gravitational collapse of the combinations of Type-I and Type-II matter fields. Our analysis shows transparently that there exist classes of generalised Vaidya mass functions for which the collapse terminates with a locally naked central singularity. We calculate the strength of the these singularities to show that they are strong curvature singularities and there can be no extension of spacetime through them.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Changes in the text, Matches the accepted version in Physical Review

Is cosmic censorship restored in higher dimensions?

In this paper we extend the analysis of gravitational collapse of generalised Vaidya spacetimes to higher dimensions, in the context of the Cosmic Censorship Conjecture. We present the sufficient conditions on the generalised Vaidya mass function, that will generate a locally naked singular end state. Our analysis here generalises all the earlier works on collapsing higher dimensional generalised Vaidya spacetimes. With specific examples, we show the existence of classes of mass functions that lead to a naked singularity in four dimensions, which gets covered on transition to higher dimensions. Hence for these classes of mass function Cosmic Censorship gets restored in higher dimensions and the transition to higher dimensions restricts the set of initial data that results in a naked singularity.Comment: 7 pages, revtex4; Title changed, Matches the PRD versio

Cloud of strings for radiating black holes in Lovelock gravity

We present exact spherically symmetric null dust solutions in the third order Lovelock gravity with a string cloud background in arbitrary $N$ dimensions,. This represents radiating black holes and generalizes the well known Vaidya solution to Lovelock gravity with a string cloud in the background. We also discuss the energy conditions and horizon structures, and explicitly bring out the effect of the string clouds on the horizon structure of black hole solutions for the higher dimensional general relativity and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theories. It turns out that the presence of the coupling constant of the Gauss-Bonnet terms and/or background string clouds completely changes the structure of the horizon and this may lead to a naked singularity. We recover known spherically symmetric radiating models as well as static black holes in the appropriate limits.Comment: 9 pages, To appear in Phys. Rev.

Tri-connectivity Augmentation in Trees

For a connected graph, a {\em minimum vertex separator} is a minimum set of vertices whose removal creates at least two connected components. The vertex connectivity of the graph refers to the size of the minimum vertex separator and a graph is $k$-vertex connected if its vertex connectivity is $k$, $k\geq 1$. Given a $k$-vertex connected graph $G$, the combinatorial problem {\em vertex connectivity augmentation} asks for a minimum number of edges whose augmentation to $G$ makes the resulting graph $(k+1)$-vertex connected. In this paper, we initiate the study of $r$-vertex connectivity augmentation whose objective is to find a $(k+r)$-vertex connected graph by augmenting a minimum number of edges to a $k$-vertex connected graph, $r \geq 1$. We shall investigate this question for the special case when $G$ is a tree and $r=2$. In particular, we present a polynomial-time algorithm to find a minimum set of edges whose augmentation to a tree makes it 3-vertex connected. Using lower bound arguments, we show that any tri-vertex connectivity augmentation of trees requires at least $\lceil \frac {2l_1+l_2}{2} \rceil$ edges, where $l_1$ and $l_2$ denote the number of degree one vertices and degree two vertices, respectively. Further, we establish that our algorithm indeed augments this number, thus yielding an optimum algorithm.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, 3 algorithms, Presented in ICGTA 201

Geometrical properties of trapped surfaces and apparent horizons

In this paper, we perform a detailed investigation on the various geometrical properties of trapped surfaces and the boundaries of trapped region in general relativity. This treatment extends earlier work on LRS II spacetimes to a general 4 dimensional spacetime manifold. Using a semi-tetrad covariant formalism, that provides a set of geometrical and matter variables, we transparently demonstrate the evolution of the trapped region and also extend Hawking's topology theorem to a wider class of spacetimes. In addition, we perform a stability analysis for the apparent horizons in this formalism, encompassing earlier works on this subject. As examples, we consider the stability of MOTS of the Schwarzschild geometry and Oppenheimer-Snyder collapse.Comment: 16 pages, Revtex

Universality of isothermal fluid spheres in Lovelock gravity

We show universality of isothermal fluid spheres in pure Lovelock gravity where the equation of motion has only one $N$th order term coming from the corresponding Lovelock polynomial action of degree $N$. Isothermality is characterized by the equation of state, $p = \alpha \rho$ and the property, $\rho \sim 1/r^{2N}$. Then the solution describing isothermal spheres, which exist only for the pure Lovelock equation, is of the same form for the general Lovelock degree $N$ in all dimenions $d \geq 2N+2$. We further prove that the necessary and sufficient condition for the isothermal sphere is that its metric is conformal to the massless global monopole or the solid angle deficit metric, and this feature is also universal.Comment: 11 page

Exact barotropic distributions in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity

New exact solutions to the field equations in the Einstein--Gauss--Bonnet modified theory of gravity for a 5--dimensional spherically symmetric static distribution of a perfect fluid is obtained. The Frobenius method is used to obtain this solution in terms of an infinite series. Exact solutions are generated in terms of polynomials from the infinite series. The 5--dimensional Einstein solution is also found by setting the coupling constant to be zero. All models admit a barotropic equation of state. Linear equations of state are admitted in particular models with the energy density profile of isothermal distributions. We examine the physicality of the solution by studying graphically the isotropic pressure and the energy density. The model is well behaved in the interior and the weak, strong and dominant energy conditions are satisfied.Comment: 15 pages, submitted for publicatio

Accretion onto a black hole in a string cloud background

We examine the accretion process onto the black hole with a string cloud background, where the horizon of the black hole has an enlarged radius $r_H=2 M/(1-\alpha)$, due to the string cloud parameter $\alpha\; (0 \leq \alpha < 1)$. The problem of stationary, spherically symmetric accretion of a polytropic fluid is analysed to obtain an analytic solution for such a perturbation. Generalised expressions for the accretion rate $\dot{M}$, critical radius $r_s$, and other flow parameters are found. The accretion rate $\dot{M}$ is an explicit function of the black hole mass $M$, as well as the gas boundary conditions and the string cloud parameter $\alpha$. We also find the gas compression ratios and temperature profiles below the accretion radius and at the event horizon. It is shown that the mass accretion rate, for both the relativistic and the non-relativistic fluid by a black hole in the string cloud model, increases with increase in $\alpha$.Comment: 9 pages, To appear in Phys. Rev.

Clouds of strings in third-order Lovelock gravity

Lovelock theory is a natural extension of the Einstein theory of general relativity to higher dimensions in which the first and second orders correspond, respectively, to general relativity and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. We present exact black hole solutions of $D\geq 4$-dimensional spacetime for first-, second-, and third-order Lovelock gravities in a string cloud background. Further, we compute the mass, temperature, and entropy of black hole solutions for the higher-dimensional general relativity and Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theories and also perform thermodynamic stability of black holes. It turns out that the presence of the Gauss-Bonnet term and/or background string cloud completely changes the black hole thermodynamics. Interestingly, the entropy of a black hole is unaffected due to a background string cloud. We rediscover several known spherically symmetric black hole solutions in the appropriate limits.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Compact stars with quadratic equation of state

We provide new exact solutions to the Einstein-Maxwell system of equations for matter configurations with anisotropy and charge. The spacetime is static and spherically symmetric. A quadratic equation of state is utilised for the matter distribution. By specifying a particular form for one of the gravitational potentials and the electric field intensity we obtain new exact solutions in isotropic coordinates. In our general class of models, an earlier model with a linear equation of state is regained. For particular choices of parameters we regain the masses of the stars PSR J1614-2230, 4U 1608-52, PSR J1903+0327, EXO 1745-248 and SAX J1808.4-3658. A comprehensive physical analysis for the star PSR J1903+0327 reveals that our model is reasonable.Comment: 10 pages, submitted for publicatio