A Toy Model for Topology Change Transitions: Role of Curvature Corrections

We consider properties of near-critical solutions describing a test static axisymmetric D-dimensional brane interacting with a bulk N-dimensional black hole (N>D). We focus our attention on the effects connected with curvature corrections to the brane action. Namely, we demonstrate that the second order phase transition in such a system is modified and becomes first order. We discuss possible consequences of these results for merger transitions between caged black holes and black strings.