Kundt spacetimes as solutions of topologically massive gravity

Abstract

We obtain new solutions of topologically massive gravity. We find the general Kundt solutions, which in three dimensions are spacetimes admitting an expansion-free null geodesic congruence. The solutions are generically of algebraic type II, but special cases are types III, N or D. Those of type D are the known spacelike-squashed AdS_3 solutions, and of type N are the known AdS pp-waves or new solutions. Those of types II and III are the first known solutions of these algebraic types. We present explicitly the Kundt solutions that are CSI spacetimes, for which all scalar polynomial curvature invariants are constant, whereas for the general case we reduce the field equations to a series of ordinary differential equations. The CSI solutions of types II and III are deformations of spacelike-squashed AdS_3 and the round AdS_3, respectively.Comment: 30 pages. This material has come from splitting v1 of arXiv:0906.3559 into 2 separate papers. v2: minor changes