Causal structure of singularity in non-spherical gravitational collapse

Abstract

Abstract We investigate here the final state of gravitational collapse of a non-spherical and non-marginally bound dust cloud as modeled by the Szekeres spacetime. We show that a directionally globally naked singularity can be formed in this case near the collapsing cloud boundary and not at its geometric center, as is typically the case for a spherical gravitational collapse. This singularity is a strong curvature naked singularity in the sense of Tipler criterion on gravitational strength. The null geodesics escaping from the singularity would be less scattered in this case in certain directions since the singularity is close to the boundary of the cloud, as is the case in the current scenario. The physical implications are pointed out.