Dimensionally continued Oppenheimer-Snyder gravitational collapse: Solutions in odd dimensions

The Lovelock gravity extends the theory of general relativity to higher dim ensions in such a way that the field equations remain of second order. The theory has many constant coefficients with no a priori meaning. Nevertheles s, it is possible to reduce them to two: the cosmological constant and Newt on's constant. In this process one separates theories in even dimensions fr om theories in odd dimensions. In a previous work, gravitational collapse i n even dimensions was analyzed. In this work attention is given to odd dime nsions. It is found that black holes also emerge as the final state of grav itational collapse of a regular dust fluid. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0022-2488(99)03306-X].