Bounds on the basic physical parameters for anisotropic compact general relativistic objects

We derive the upper and lower limits for the basic physical parameters (mass-radius ratio, anisotropy, redshift and total energy) for arbitrary anisotropic general relativistic matter distributions in the presence of a cosmological constant. The values of these quantities are strongly dependent on the value of the anisotropy parameter (the difference between the tangential and radial pressure) at the surface of the star. In the presence of the cosmological constant, a minimum mass configuration with a given anisotropy does exist. Anisotropic compact stellar-type objects can be much more compact than the isotropic ones, and their radii may be close to their corresponding Schwarzschild radii. Upper bounds for the anisotropy parameter are also obtained from the analysis of the curvature invariants. General restrictions for the redshift and the total energy (including the gravitational contribution) for anisotropic stars are obtained in terms of the anisotropy parameter. Values of the surface redshift parameter greater than two could be the main observational signature for anisotropic stellar-type objects. © 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd.