Time-dependent matter instability and star singularity in $F(R)$ gravity

Abstract

We investigate a curvature singularity appearing in the star collapse process in $F(R)$ gravity. In particular, we propose an understanding of the mechanism to produce the curvature singularity. Moreover, we explicitly demonstrate that $R^\alpha$ ($1 < \alpha \leq 2$) term addition could cure the curvature singularity and viable $F(R)$ gravity models could become free of such a singularity. Furthermore, we discuss the realization process of the curvature singularity and estimate the time scale of its appearance. For exponential gravity, it is shown that in case of the star collapse, the time scale is much shorter than the age of the universe, whereas in cosmological circumstances, it is as long as the cosmological time.