Critical collapse of a spherically symmetric ultrarelativistic fluid in $2+1$ dimensions

Abstract

We carry out numerical simulations of the gravitational collapse of a perfect fluid with the ultrarelativistic equation of state $P=\kappa\rho$, in spherical symmetry in $2+1$ spacetime dimensions with $\Lambda<0$. At the threshold of prompt collapse, we find type II critical phenomena (apparent horizon mass and maximum curvature scale as powers of distance from the threshold) for $\kappa\gtrsim 0.43$, and type I critical phenomena (lifetime scales as logarithm of distance from the threshold) for $\kappa\lesssim 0.42$. The type I critical solution is static, while the type II critical solution is not self-similar (as in higher dimensions) but contracting quasi-statically.