Gravitational radiation of a spherically symmetric source in f(R)-gravitation

Abstract

It is shown that Birkhoff’s theorem for the general theory of relativity is overcome in the f(R)-theory of gravitation. That means, the f(R)-theory of gravitation, unlike Einstein’s general theory of relativity, does not forbid gravitational radiation from a spherically symmetric source (whether stationary or non-stationary). As a consequence, in the f(R)-theory a spherically symmetric gravitational deformation (e.g., collapse/expansion or pulsation) could emit gravitational waves (of tensor- and scalar polarization modes), a phenomenon impossible in the general relativity. A test model is examined and it turns out that the gravitational radiation is strongest when the surface of the deforming object is in the vicinity of the (modified) event horizon, even suddenly flares up just outside the latter. In this letter, within the f(R)-theory of gravitation, a gravitational wave equation and a formula for the gravitational emission power are derived. These formulae, along with searching for signals, can be used for the experimental test of the f(R)-theory. In general, including the spherically symmetry case, gravitational radiation of both tensor- and scalar polarization modes are allowed, although under some circumstance the contribution of scalar modes is strongly suppressed.