Maximum Force and Naked Singularities in Higher Dimensions

Abstract

We discuss the existence of maximum forces in 3+1 dimensional spacetimes and show that the existence of a mass-independent maximum force does not occur in general relativity in spaces of more than three dimensions. Instead, the maximum force increases with the masses, M, of merging objects as M to the power (N-3)/(N-2) and allows unbounded gravitational forces to occur. This suggests that naked singularities can arise in more than three dimensions because they are unprotected by a maximum force at the horizon surface. This creates a new perspective on the expectation of naked singularities in higher dimensions.