Gravitationally collapsing stars in $f(R)$ gravity

Abstract

The gravitational dynamics of a collapsing matter configuration which is simultaneously radiating heat flux is studied in $f(R)$ gravity. Three particular functional forms in $f(R)$ gravity are considered to show that it is possible to envisage boundary conditions such that the end state of the collapse has a weak singularity and that the matter configuration radiates away all of its mass before collapsing to reach the central singularity.