Does gravitational collapse lead to singularities?

Abstract

According to conventional modelling by general relativity the collapse of radially symmetric gravitating objects may end in a singular state. But by inclusion of potential energy into the energy tensor, which is required to guarantee global energy conservation, the occurrence of singularities is avoided. Instead the final states of the collapse of mass concentrations of arbitrary size are nuclear matter objects, from which jets of matter can be recycled into space. The mysterious dark energy, supposed as the main constituent of the universe, may even be the potential energy of matter itself.