Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2016) 131: 350
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2016-16350-9

Regular Article

Colliding plane waves in F(R)=R^N gravity

¹ Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, V Holešovičkách 2, 180 00, Prague 8, Czech Republic
² Department of Physics, Eastern Mediterranean University, G. Magusa, Mersin 10, North Cyprus, Turkey

^* e-mail: tahamtan@utf.mff.cuni.cz

Received: 29 August 2016
Accepted: 9 September 2016
Published online: 3 October 2016

Abstract

We identify a region of a specific F(R)=R ^N gravity solution without external sources which is isometric to the spacetime of colliding plane waves (CPW). The analogy renders construction and collision of plane waves in F(R)=R ^N gravity possible. The geometry of the interaction region is equivalent to the Reissner-Nordström (RN) one, however there is no Einstein-Maxwell (EM) source --this is made possible by using the model of R^N gravity and the parameter creates the source. For N=1, we naturally recover the plane waves (and their collision) in Einstein's theory.