Problem 4.5.1: Newtonian collapse time
Calculate in the frame of Newtonian mechanics the time of collapse of a uniformly distributed spherical mass with density $\rho_0$.
Let there be $N$ identical pointlike masses $m$, distributed uniformly in a spherical volume of radius $R$ with density \[\rho _0 = Nm{3 \over {4\pi R_0^3 }}.\] We assume the system to be isolated, and consider the limit of ideal homogeneous system \[\lim\limits_{\substack{N \to \infty\\ m \to 0}} N m = const.\] Suppose in the same limit fluctuations are absent in the system. The mass contained within a ball $r_0 \le R_0 $ is \[M(r_0 ) = \int\limits_0^{r_0} 4\pi r^2 \rho _0 dr = \frac{4\pi }{3} r_0^3 \rho _0.\] Due to spherical symmetry the force acting on a particle of unit mass at distance $r_0$ from the center is determined only by the mass within the sphere: \[F(r_0 )= - \frac{GM(r_0 )}{r_0^2 }.\] This force is directed towards the center. Let us assume for simplicity that initial velocities of all particles are zero. The total energy in this case is equal to the potential energy and is negative. Let us use another simplifying assumption that different layers do not overlap during the collapse: a particle that is initially at $r_0$ will be attracted always by the same mass $M(r_{0})$ with force $ - GM(r_0 )/r^{2}(t)$ depending on time, so its equation of motion is \[\ddot r(t) =-\frac{GM(r_{0})}{r^2 (t)}.\] The first integral of this equation (energy conservation law) is \[\Big(\frac{dr}{dt}\Big)^2 = 2GM(r_0 ) \Big(\frac{1}{r}-\frac{1}{r_0}\Big).\] The solution in parametric form is \begin{align*} r(\tau) &= {{r_0 } \over 2}(1 + \cos \tau),\\ t(\tau ) &= \sqrt{\frac{3}{32\pi G\rho _0}}\;\cdot (\tau + \sin \tau ),\\ r(\tau = 0) = r_0 &\Rightarrow\; t(\tau = 0) = 0,\\ r(\tau = \pi) = 0 &\Rightarrow\; t(\tau = \pi ) =\sqrt {\frac{3\pi}{32G\rho _0}}\;\equiv t_{col}. \end{align*} Evolution takes place from radius $r_{0}$ at $t=0$ to zero radius (collapse) at $t = t_{col} $. Further dynamics in the frame of this primitive model will be periodic.