The ultrarelativistic limit of 2D dilaton gravity and its energy momentum tensor

Abstract

The ultrarelativistic limit of twodimensional dilaton gravity is presented and its associated (anti-)selfdual energy momentum tensor is derived. It is localized on a null line, although the line element remains twice differentiable. Relations to the Aichelburg-Sexl spacetime and constant dilaton vacua are pointed out. Geodesics are found to be smooth for minimally coupled test particles but non-smooth -- with a finite jump in the acceleration -- for test particles coupled non-minimally to the dilaton. Quantization on boosted backgrounds is discussed; no anomalous trace of the energy momentum tensor arises and the 1-loop flux component can be adjusted to be equal to the classical flux of the shock wave.

20 pages, 3 eps-figures, v4: corrected typo in affiliation and 2 misprints in the text, added PACS numbers