SHEAR-FREE RADIATING COLLAPSE AND CONFORMAL FLATNESS

Abstract

Here we study some general properties of spherical shear-free collapse. Its general solution when imposing conformal flatness is re-obtained (Refs. 1 and 2) and matched to the outgoing Vaidya spacetime. We propose a simple model satisfying these conditions and study its physical consequences. Special attention deserve, the role played by relaxational processes and the conspicuous link betweeen dissipation and density inhomogeneity.