Cosmic censorship in 2-dimensional dilaton gravity

Abstract. The global structure of 2-dimensional dilaton gravity is studied, attending in particular to black holes and singularities. A gravitational energy is defined and shown to be positive at spatial singularities and negative at temporal singularities. Trapped points are defined, and it is shown that spatial singularities are trapped and temporal singularities are not. Thus a local form of cosmic censorship holds for positive energy. In an analogue of gravitational collapse to a black hole, matter falling into an initially flat space creates a spatial curvature singularity which is cloaked in a spatial or null apparent horizon with non-decreasing energy and area.