The role of dimension and electric charge on a collapsing geometry in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity

Abstract

The analysis of the continual gravitational contraction of a spherically symmetric shell of charged radiation is extended to higher dimensions in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity. The spacetime metric, which is of Boulware–Deser type, is real only up to a maximum electric charge and thus collapse terminates with the formation of a branch singularity. This branch singularity divides the higher dimensional spacetime into two regions, a real and physical one, and a complex region. This is not the case in neutral Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity as well as general relativity. The charged gravitational collapse process is also similar for all dimensions \(N\ge 5\) unlike in the neutral scenario where there is a marked difference between the \(N=5\) and \(N>5\) cases. In the case where \(N=5\) uncharged collapse ceases with the formation of a weaker, conical singularity which remains naked for a time depending on the Gauss–Bonnet invariant, before succumbing to an event horizon. The similarity of charged collapse for all higher dimensions is a unique feature in the theory. The sufficient conditions for the formation of a naked singularity are studied for the higher dimensional charged Boulware–Deser spacetime. For particular choices of the mass and charge functions, naked branch singularities are guaranteed and indeed inevitable in higher dimensional Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity. The strength of the naked branch singularities is also tested and it is found that these singularities become stronger with increasing dimension, and no extension of spacetime through them is possible.