Gravitational Collapse in Higher Curvature Theory

Abstract

We find an exact solution in dimensionally continued gravity in arbitrary dimensions which describes the gravitational collapse of a null dust fluid. Considering the situation that a null dust fluid injects into the initially anti‐de Sitter spacetime, we show that a naked singularity can be formed. In even dimensions, a massless ingoing null naked singularity emerges. In odd dimensions, meanwhile, a massive timelike naked singularity forms. These naked singularities can be globally naked if the ingoing null dust fluid is switched off at a finite time; the resulting spacetime is static and asymptotically anti‐de Sitter spacetime. The curvature strength of the massive timelike naked singularity in odd dimensions is independent of the spacetime dimensions or the power of the mass function. This is a characteristic feature in Lovelock gravity.