Attractive voids

In this paper, we explore the well-known mass deficit/surplus phenomenon in General Relativity to suggest that it could play a part in the dark matter conundrum. Specifically in collapses and condensations of matter associated with negative intrinsic curvature of the foliation associated with the asymptotic boundary conditions, the external (ADM) mass can vastly exceed the integrated local energy over the internal volume. This can be phrased in terms of a deficit of volume for a given surface area (with respect to zero curvature). We explore the phenomenon in the context of generalizations of the Oppenheimer–Snyder models and other “cut and paste” models, the Lemaitre–Bondi–Tolman metric and several others. We produce constructions where the internal object is contracting or expanding, has a life time different from the asymptotic Universe, as well as a volume different than the excavated volume from the Universe. These are purely relativistic constructions and they could play a role in the puzzle of dark matter: attraction without visible or indeed any matter.