The Newtonian limit of fourth and higher order gravity
arXiv:gr-qc/0109005 · doi:10.1002/asna.2113120205
Abstract
We consider the Newtonian limit of the theory based on the Lagrangian L = R + \sum a_k R \Box^k R. The gravitational potential of a point mass turns out to be a combination of Newtonian and Yukawa terms. For sixth-order gravity the coefficients are calculated explicitly. For the general case one gets as a result: The the potential is always unbounded near the origin.
12 pages, LaTeX, reprinted from Astron. Nachr. 312 (1991) 97