Shell-crossings and shock formation during gravitational collapse in effective loop quantum gravity

Abstract

Effective models of gravitational collapse in loop quantum gravity for the Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi spacetime predict that collapsing matter reaches a maximum finite density, bounces, and then expands outwards. We show that in the marginally bound case, shell-crossing singularities commonly occur for inhomogeneous initial profiles of the dust energy density; this is the case in particular for all profiles that are continuous and of compact support, including configurations arbitrarily close to the Oppenheimer-Snyder model. When a shell-crossing singularity occurs, it is necessary to seek weak solutions to the dynamics; we argue that weak solutions typically contain shock waves.

12 pages, 1 figure. v2: Clarifications and references added