Gravitational kinks in two spacetime dimensions

Abstract

The properties of gravitational kinks are studied within some simple models of two dimensional gravity. In spacetimes of cylindrical topology we prove the existence of kinks of constant curvature with arbitrary kink numbers. In $R^1\times R^1$ spacetimes $m=1$ kink solutions of the equation $R=0$ are found, whereas $|m|>1$ flat kinks are proved not to exist. We give a detailed analysis of the behaviour of gravitational kinks under coordinate transformations. Viewed as nonsingular black holes $|m|>1$ kink solutions are found within a simple dilaton gravity theory. The general form of the potential function is determined from the demand that the theory possesses an arbitrary number of inequivalent kink configurations.