Dynamics of spherical charged dust shells in de Sitter space

Abstract

We study the dynamics of charged, spherically symmetric dust shells in the presence of a positive cosmological constant. We find generalizations of the well-known solutions in asymptotically flat spacetime, in particular orbits into "parallel universes", but also new solutions corresponding to a "bounce" of the shell before an event horizon has formed. We also discuss "bubble" solutions, in which a charged shell and an oppositely charged singularity are spontaneously created and annihilated.