Wormhole geometries in f(R) modified theories of gravity

Abstract

In this work, we construct traversable wormhole geometries in the context of f(R) modified theories of gravity. We impose that the matter threading the wormhole satisfies the energy conditions, so that it is the effective stress-energy tensor containing higher order curvature derivatives that is responsible for the null energy condition violation. Thus, the higher order curvature terms, interpreted as a gravitational fluid, sustain these non-standard wormhole geometries, fundamentally different from their counterparts in general relativity. In particular, by considering specific shape functions and several equations of state, exact solutions for f(R) are found.