Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: We present a thermodynamic analysis of spherically symmetric gravitational collapse. Using the Hayward-Kodama formalism, we treat a collapsing sphere as a thermodynamic system and express the surface gravity $κ_{hk}$ in terms of the geometric variables. We derive the specific heat capacities and identify a critical condition $\dotκ_{hk} = 0$ as the locus of second order phase transition during the collapse. Through specific examples, we demonstrate that the condition is independent of singular/non-singular nature of the geometry. We also find that the critical condition of phase transition is equivalent to a stationary condition of the expansion of null congruence. This establishes a direct correspondence between geometric stability and thermodynamic criticality, allowing the identification of apparent horizon as a universal critical surface in the phase-space of gravitational collapse.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Author: Chakrabarti, Soumya
Institution: Vellore Institute of Technology University
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: VIT University
Award: G4296628434
OpenAlex ID: W7104034160
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