The dynamics of a localized, O(3)-symmetric region of false vacuum, separated from an infinite region of true vacuum by a domain wall of non-negligible width, is studied through numerical general relativity. The spacetime trajectories of the "thick" domain-wall solutions are compared with the predictions of a thin-wall approximation for bubbles larger than the Schwarzschild radius, and found to be in good agreement over the time intervals studied.

• Received 27 December 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.42.2446