Exactly Solvable Models of 2d Dilaton Quantum Gravity

Abstract

We study canonical quantization of a class of 2d dilaton gravity models, which contains the model proposed by Callan, Giddings, Harvey and Strominger. A set of non-canonical phase space variables is found, forming an $SL(2,{\bf R}) \times U(1)$ current algebra, such that the constraints become quadratic in these new variables. In the case when the spatial manifold is compact, the corresponding quantum theory can be solved exactly, since it reduces to a problem of finding the cohomology of a free-field Virasoro algebra. In the non-compact case, which is relevant for 2d black holes, this construction is likely to break down, since the most general field configuration cannot be expanded into Fourier modes. Strategy for circumventing this problem is discussed.