2-D gravisolitons in string theory

Abstract

Several gravitational string backgrounds can be interpreted as 2-dim soliton solutions of reduced axion-dilaton gravity. They include black-hole and worm-hole solutions as well as cosmological models with an exact conformal field theory description. We illustrate the use of gravisolitons for the particular example of Nappi-Witten universe which is thus "created" from flat space by soliton dressing. We also make some general comments about the status of gravisolitons in comparison to soliton solutions of other 2-dim integrable systems without gravity. (Contribution to the proceedings of the 2nd International Sakharov Conference, Moscow)