Wormhole throats in $R^{m}$ gravity

TL;DR

This paper investigates wormhole geometries within modified gravity theories that include non-linear Ricci scalar terms, demonstrating that such models can support static wormholes satisfying the weak energy condition locally near the throat.

Contribution

It introduces a study of wormhole solutions in gravity theories with Ricci-squared and inverse Ricci terms, showing local existence of weak energy condition-respecting wormholes.

Findings

Static wormhole throats can exist with weak energy condition in modified gravity.

Local analysis near the throat avoids restrictions from global topology.

Modified gravity models can support wormholes without exotic matter.

Abstract

We consider wormhole geometries subject to a gravitational action consisting of non-linear powers of the Ricci scalar. Specifically, wormhole throats are studied in the case where Einstein gravity is supplemented with a Ricci-squared and inverse Ricci term. In this modified theory it is found that static wormhole throats respecting the weak energy condition can exist. The analysis is done locally in the vicinity of the throat, which eliminates certain restrictions on the models introduced by considering the global topology.