The classical solutions of two-dimensional gravity (Q1807431)

Two-dimensional gravity is a very important subject for the investigation since it arises by a natural way in the following cases: (a) after the reduction of four- and multidimensional gravities with symmetries; (b) in models connected with superstring theories; (c) in models arising by an approximative quantization of 3+1-dimensional gravity. In this paper a short review of the literature is given. The Birkhoff theorem in two dimensions for the fourth-order theories is proved, for this case the solution of the field equation in Schwarzschild coordinates is given. Basic properties of these solutions are discussed for Lorentzian and Euclidean signatures of the metric. A relation between fourth-order and dilaton gravities is given that allows to transform the solutions of fourth-order gravity to dilaton one.