Vaidya geometries and scalar fields with null gradients

Abstract

Since, in Einstein gravity, a massless scalar field with lightlike gradient behaves as a null dust, one could expect that it can act as the matter source of Vaidya geometries. We show that this is impossible because the Klein-Gordon equation forces the null geodesic congruence tangent to the scalar field gradient to have zero expansion, contradicting a basic property of Vaidya solutions. By contrast, exact plane waves travelling at light speed and sourced by a scalar field acting as a null dust are possible.