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On the Limitations of a Generalized Vaidya Metric

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2025-11-13 v1 High Energy Physics - Theory Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

We prove that there can not be a smooth matching of the Generalized Vaidya metric with an exterior Schwarzschild/Vaidya patch across a finite boundary hypersurface unless the mass function is a function of the null coordinate alone. By explicitly deriving the extrinsic curvature components, we show that for m/r0\partial m / \partial r \neq 0 one has a discontinuity in the curvature and induces a surface stress-energy tensor, corresponding to a thin shell of matter. This discontinuity also appears in the geometric invariant K=KabKab\mathcal{K} = K_{ab}K^{ab} and in the Kodama current, indicating a mismatch in quasi-local energy flux across the boundary. The analysis of timelike geodesics leads to the same condition, reinforcing that the generalized Vaidya geometry with m/r0\partial m / \partial r \neq 0 cannot represent a consistent stellar interior bounded by a regular surface. We therefore note that the generalized Vaidya spacetime should be interpreted as an unbounded geometry with intrinsic heat flux rather than a viable bounded source.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2511.09011,
  title  = {On the Limitations of a Generalized Vaidya Metric},
  author = {Soumya Chakrabarti and Naresh Dadhich and Chiranjeeb Singha},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.09011},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

7 Pages. Comments are Welcome. This work is a tribute to Prof. Naresh Dadhich (1944-2025), a co-author of this paper and it carries the fond memory of our last collaboration with him