We find a solution of the Einstein-Maxwell system of field equations for a class of accelerating, expanding and shearing spherically symmetric metrics. This solution depends on a particularansatz for the line element. The radial behaviour of the solution is fully specified while the temporal behaviour is given in terms of a quadrature. By setting the charge contribution to zero we regain an (uncharged) perfect fluid solution found previously with the equation of statep = μ + constant, which is a generalisation of a stiff equation of state. Our class of charged shearing solutions is characterised geometrically by a conformal Killing vector.

We establish a new algorithm that generates a new solution to the Einstein field equations, with an anisotropic matter distribution, from a seed isotropic solution. The new solution is expressed in terms of integrals of an isotropic gravitational potential; and the integration can be completed exactly for particular isotropic seed metrics. A good feature of our approach is that the anisotropic solutions necessarily have an isotropic limit. We find two examples of anisotropic solutions which generalise the isothermal sphere and the Schwarzschild interior sphere. Both examples are expressed in closed form involving elementary functions only.

We study the physical features of a class of exact solutions for cold compact anisotropic stars. The effect of pressure anisotropy on the maximum mass and surface red-shift is analysed in the Vaidya–Tikekar model. It is shown that maximum compactness, red-shift and mass increase in the presence of anisotropic pressures; numerical values are generated which are in agreement with observation.

We consider the linear equation of state for matter distributions that may be applied to strange stars with quark matter. In our general approach the compact relativistic body allows for anisotropic pressures in the presence of the electromagnetic field. New exact solutions are found to the Einstein–Maxwell system. A particular case is shown to be regular at the stellar centre. In the isotropic limit we regain the general relativistic isothermal Universe. We show that the mass corresponds to the values obtained previously for quark stars when anisotropy and charge are present.

We obtain a class of solutions to the Einstein–Maxwell equations describing charged static spheres. Upon specifying particular forms for one of the gravitational potentials and the electric field intensity, the condition for pressure isotropy is transformed into a hypergeometric equation with two free parameters. For particular parameter values we recover uncharged solutions corresponding to specific neutron star models. We find two charged solutions in terms of elementary functions for particular parameter values. The first charged model is physically reasonable and the metric functions and thermodynamic variables are well behaved. The second charged model admits a negative energy density and violates the energy conditions.

We investigate the gravitational collapse of a radiating sphere evolving into a final static configuration described by the interior Schwarzschild solution. The temperature profiles of this particular model are obtained within the framework of causal thermodynamics. The overall temperature evolution is enhanced by contributions from the temperature gradient induced by perturbations as well as relaxational effects within the stellar core.

We investigate the role of symmetries for charged perfect fluids by assuming that spacetime admits a conformal Killing vector. The existence of a conformal symmetry places restrictions on the model. It is possible to find a general relationship for the Lie derivative of the electromagnetic field along the integral curves of the conformal vector. The electromagnetic field is mapped conformally under particular conditions. The Maxwell equations place restrictions on the form of the proper charge density.

The Einstein–Maxwell equations describing static charged spheres with uniform density and variable electric field intensity are studied. The special case of constant electric field is also studied. The evolution of the model is governed by a hypergeometric differential equation which has a general solution in terms of special functions. Several classes of exact solutions are identified which may be considered as charged generalizations of the incompressible Schwarzschild interior model. An analysis of the physical features is undertaken for the uniform case. It is demonstrated that uniform density spheres with constant electric field intensity are not realizable with isotropic pressures. This highlights the necessity of studying the criteria for physical admissability of gravitating spheres in general relativity which are solutions to the Einstein–Maxwell equations.

The Kramer radiating star uses the interior Schwarzschild solution as a seed solution to generate a model of dissipative collapse. We investigate the thermal behaviour of the radiating star by employing a causal heat transport equation. The causal temperature is explicitly determined for the first time by integrating the transport equation. We further show that the dissipation of energy to the exterior space-time renders the core more unstable than the cooler surface layers.