Static solutions of the spherically symmetric Vlasov-Einstein system

Abstract

The Vlasov-Einstein system describes the evolution of an ensemble of particles (such as stars in a galaxy, galaxies in a galaxy cluster etc.) interacting only by the gravitational field which they create collectively and which obeys Einstein's field equations. The matter distribution is described by the Vlasov or Liouville equation for a collisionless gas. Recent investigations seem to indicate that such a matter model is particularly suited in a general relativistic setting and may avoid the formation of naked singularities, as opposed to other matter models. In the present note we consider the Vlasov-Einstein system in a spherically symmetric setting and prove the existence of static solutions which are asymptotically flat and have finite total mass and finite extension of the matter. Among these there are smooth, singularity-free solutions, which have a regular center and may have isotropic or anisotropic pressure, and solutions, which have a Schwarzschild-singularity at the center. The paper extends previous work, where smooth, globally defined solutions with regular center and isotropic pressure were considered.Comment: 20 pages, Latex, report #