We consider the Einstein equation with first-order (semiclassical) quantum corrections. Although the quantum corrections contain up to fourth-order derivatives of the metric, the solutions which are physically relevant satisfy reduced equations which contain derivatives no higher than second order. We obtain the reduced equations for a range of stress-energy tensors. These reduced equations are suitable for a numerical solution, are expected to contain fewer numerical instabilities than the original fourth-order equations, and yield only physically relevant solutions. We give analytic and numerical solutions or reduced equations for particular examples, including Friedmann-Lemaître universes with a cosmological constant, a spherical body of constant density, and more general conformally flat metrics.

• Received 31 August 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.47.1339