2nd Reading

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International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics

(2019) 1950151 (15 pages)

c World Scientific Publishing Company
DOI: 10.1142/S0219887819501512
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Classification of vacuum classes of plane

fronted gravitational waves via proper
conformal vector fields in f (R) gravity

Fiaz Hussain∗ , Ghulam Shabbir†,‡ , Muhammad Ramzan∗

Int. J. Geom. Methods Mod. Phys. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com

and Shabeela Malik†

∗Department of Mathematics, The Islamia University of
Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
†Faculty of Engineering Sciences, GIK Institute of

Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi, Swabi

KPK, Pakistan
‡[email protected]

Received 28 May 2019

Accepted 22 July 2019
Published 23 August 2019

In this paper, we have studied proper conformal vector fields of pp-wave space-times in
the f (R) theory of gravity using algebraic and direct integration techniques. From this
study, we found that a very special class of pp-waves known as plane fronted gravitational
waves (GWs) is a solution in the f (R) theory of gravity. In order to find proper conformal
vector fields, plane GWs are further classified in ten cases. Studying each case in detail it
turns out that in two cases proper conformal vector fields exist while in the rest of eight
cases, conformal vector fields become homothetic vector fields.

Keywords: PP waves; f (R) theory of gravity; direct integration techniques; conformal

vector fields.

Mathematics Subject Classification 2010: 83C15, 83C40

1. Introduction
Finding exact solutions of Einstein field equations (EFEs) has remained a key sub-
ject from the early day of the general theory of relativity. A wide class of solutions
have been found so far and the detail could be seen in [1]. In fact, highly nonlinear
nature of these equations have put a difficult task for the researchers to find their
exact solutions. Some of them have used Lie symmetries in order to convert non-
linear differential equations into ordinary differential equations which makes these
equations solvable. On the other hand, space-time symmetries have significant role
in Einstein theory as these are found to be helpful in finding the exact solutions of
EFEs. Moreover, there is a deep relationship between symmetries and conservation
laws [2]. Conservation laws play a vital role in physics as the invariance of physical
quantities under a given transformation help physicists to simplify their problems.

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For example, the existence of time-like symmetry (also known as time-like Killing
vector field) ensures conservation of energy of a particle defined by the equation
E = vp, where v and p represents time-like Killing vector field and momentum
of the particle, respectively [3]. Symmetry restrictions are found to be extremely
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useful for the investigation of gravitational waves (GWs) as well as to address the
problem of localization of energy momentum in general relativity (GR). Likewise,
in the case of spherical symmetric space-time the rotational symmetries provide
conservation of angular momentum [4]. One of the best-known and mathematically
simplest class of solutions to EFEs in GR is the class of generalized pp-waves [5].
The term pp-wave also known as plane-fronted GWs with parallel rays is due to
Ehlers and Kundt who investigated the properties of the vacuum pp-waves. Plane
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fronted GWs are taken to mean that there is a geodesic null vector field whose twist,
expansion and shear are zero. The parallel rays part of the definition is the require-
ment that the rotation of the vector field also vanishes. The Petrov type of the
pp-wave space-times is N or O and the rank of the Riemann tensor is two [6]. In
physics, GWs are the key probes to observe astrophysical high-energy phenomena
and binary neutron stars [7, 8]. A sub class of the GWs is the plane fronted GWs
which have intensively been studied in the literature. Recently, GWs have gained
interest because of the new theoretical ideas like kinetic energy of the free particle
and the memory effect [9]. Memory effect express a change in the physical system
between the final and initial state of the system after the passage of a GW. A com-
prehensive work related to center of mass density of the GW and the gravitational
acceleration is presented in a recently published work by Maluaf et al. [10] in which
they argued that there is a close relationship between the gravitational acceleration
in a certain space-time and density of center of mass of the gravitational field. No
doubt, GWs have the potential to test any gravitational theory though a number of
alternative theories have been investigated so far and some of them predict different
propagation speed and polarization modes of GWs from those of GR. Thus, we need
to pay more attention to the study of GWs as a new method to test any alternate
theory of gravity [11]. In this regard very recently, Capozziello and Bajardi have
discussed GWs in some modified gravity theories [12].
From these modified gravity theories, f (R) gravity is the simplest gravity the-
ory in which Ricci scalar R is replaced by a function f (R) in the standard Einstein
Hilbert action [13]. Due to successful aspects of this theory, a lot of attention has
been given in the last couple of years [14–19]. On the other hand, in the f (R) theory
of gravity f (R) models play important role in cosmology. Using f (R) models one
can explain the phenomenon of late-time acceleration and early time inflation [20].
For a detail review of f (R) models, we left the readers to [21–24]. f (R) models also
help to explore solutions of EFEs in the f (R) theory of gravity with constant and
nonconstant curvature. For the investigation of the physical properties of a specific
model the exact solutions of EFEs play a pivotal role. Exact solutions of EFEs are
classified as vacuum and nonvacuum solutions. One example of vacuum solutions
of EFEs is Schwarzschild solution which led to the predictions about planetary

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Classification of vacuum classes of plane fronted gravitational waves

orbits and black holes. In the nonvacuum case, there are several classes of solutions
that have been widely discussed by Brans and Dicke [25]. Moreover, by classify-
ing a space-time according to some symmetry restriction makes easier to find the
solutions of EFEs. A reasonable amount of work has been done on various types
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of symmetries in the literature [26–34]. Among the other well-known symmetries,

conformal symmetries are in particular interest as the conformal vector fields has
wide range of applications both on kinematics and dynamic level. If we look toward
the geometrical point of view, Maxwell’s law of electromagnetic theory and light
cone structures remain invariant under conformal transformations. Moreover, for
massless particles along the null geodesics conformal symmetry produce constant
of motion [4]. Conformal symmetry is also used in quantum electrodynamics as the
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classical field equations for massless electrodynamics are invariant under a much
larger group of space-time transformations known as conformal group [35]. In astro-
physics, conformal symmetry is used to study compact stars. Compact stars are
used to study certain properties of gravitational fields. Conformal symmetry is also
used to study wormhole solutions and Brane world gravstars. For a detail analysis
on more applications of conformal vector fields, we left the readers to [36–38].
PP-wave space-times have been widely studied from the symmetry point of view.
Sippel and Goenner [39] found Killing vector fields for the class of pp-waves space-
times. Aichelburg [40] investigated curvature collineations for the gravitational pp-
waves. A comprehensive work regarding the Noether and Lie point symmetries of
pp-wave space-times is given in [6, 41, 42]. Conformal symmetry of pp-wave space-
times has been discussed in [43, 44] but the authors proceeded this work without
using any field equations.
Over the past few decades, exploring solutions in extended theories of grav-
ity especially, in the f (R) theory of gravity has remained a key subject for the
researchers. Recently, Hussain et al. [45] explored some perfect fluid solutions of
static cylindrically symmetric space-times in the f (R) theory of gravity and found
conformal vector fields of resulting solutions. Shabbir et al. [46] classified spheri-
cally symmetric static space-times in the f (R) theory of gravity according to their
conformal vector fields. Shabbir et al. [4] discussed dust static plane symmetric solu-
tions in the f (R) theory of gravity and found conformal vector fields of obtained
solutions. Very recently, Shabbir and his collaborators [47] found some perfect fluid
Kantowski–Sacks and Bianchi type III space-times and their conformal vector fields
in the f (R) theory of gravity. Our purpose in this paper is to find conformal vector
fields of pp-wave space-times in the f (R) theory of gravity. A conformal vector field
W is defined by [48]
LW gab ≡ gab,c W c + gbc W,a
c
+ gac W,bc = 2Ωgab , (1)
where Ω is the smooth conformal function. Here, L, gab and comma denotes the
Lie derivative, metric tensor and partial derivative, respectively. If Ω in the above
equation (1) is a constant, then W represents a homothetic vector field (proper
homothetic if Ω = 0) and if it is zero, then W becomes a Killing vector field. If the

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vector field W is conformal but not homothetic then it is called proper conformal
vector field.

2. Main Results
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Consider a pp-wave space-times in the harmonic coordinates (u, x, y, v) with the

line element [5]
ds2 = 2Hdu2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv, (2)
where H is an arbitrary functions of u, x and y. The above space-times (2) admit
∂
only one Killing vector field which is ∂v . Expanding Eq. (1) and using Eq. (2), we
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have
H,u W 0 + H,x W 1 + H,y W 2 + 2HW,00 + W,03 = 2HΩ, (3)
2HW,10 + W,13 + W,01 = 0, (4)
2HW,20 + W,23 + W,02 = 0, (5)
2HW,30 + W,33 + W,00 = 2Ω, (6)
W,11 = Ω, (7)
W,21 + W,12 = 0, (8)
W,31 + W,10 = 0, (9)
W,22 = Ω, (10)
W,32 + W,20 = 0, (11)
W,30 = 0. (12)
From Eq. (12), we have W 0 = Z 1 (u, x, y), where Z 1 (u, x, y) is a function of inte-
gration. Now, substituting the value of W 0 in Eqs. (9), (11) and (6), we have

W 1 = −Zx1 (u, x, y)v + Z 3 (u, x, y), 




2 1 2
W = −Zy (u, x, y)v + Z (u, x, y), (13)





W 3 = 2 Ωdv − Zu1 (u, x, y)v + Z 4 (u, x, y),

where Z 2 (u, x, y), Z 3 (u, x, y) and Z 4 (u, x, y) are functions of integration. It is worth
mentioning that at the first step of this paper, we would like to construct some pp-
wave solutions of EFEs in the f (R) theory of gravity and then we will find the
proper conformal vector fields of the obtain solutions. For doing this, we turn our
attention to the EFEs in the f (R) theory of gravity [14]
1
F (R)Rab − f (R)gab − ∇a ∇b F (R) + gab
F (R) = kTab , (14)
2
where f (R) is the function of Ricci scalar R, F (R) ≡ dR d
f (R), k is the coupling
constant, Tab is the energy momentum tensor and
≡ ∇a ∇a in which ∇ denotes

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the covariant derivative. In vacuum, we have Tab = 0, therefore, one can re-write
the above equation (14) in the tonsorial form
 
1 f (R) − RF (R)
Gab = gab + ∇a ∇b F (R) − gab
F (R) , (15)
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F (R) 2
where Gab denotes the Einstein tensor. It is worth noticing that the right-hand
side of the above equation (15) can be considered as effective energy momentum
tensor of the gravitational field given by the curvature and this is one of the main
reasons that led to interpret the dark side of the gravitational contribution [11].
Using Eq. (2) in Eq. (15), we have
[H,xx + H,yy ]F − 2[F,xx + F,yy ]H + F,uu + H,x F,x + H,y F,y + Hf = 0. (16)
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2F,yy = f, 2F,xx = f, F,ux = 0, F,uy = 0, F,xy = 0. (17)

The above Eqs. (16) and (17) contain two unknowns namely F and H which needs
to determine. Consider F,ux = 0 from Eq. (17) and integrate with respect to x and
u gives


F = A1 (u, y)du + A2 (x, y), (18)

where A1 (u, y) and A2 (x, y) are functions of integration. Using Eq. (18) in F,uy = 0
and F,xy = 0 leads to A1 (u, y) = Q(u) and A2 (x, y) = A4 (x)dx + A5 (y), where
Q(u), A4 (x) and A5 (y) are functions of integration. Equation (18) becomes



F = Q(u)du + A4 (x)dx + A5 (y). (19)

Now consider two equations 2F,yy = f and 2F,xx = f from Eq. (17) and using
Eq. (19), we get A5,yy (y) = A4,x (x). Now differentiating equation A5,yy (y) = A4,x (x)
with respect to x, give A4,xx (x) = 0 ⇒ A4 (x) = c1 x + c2 , where c1 , c2 ∈ R(c1 = 0).
2
Substituting back in the same equation we get A5 (y) = c1 y2 + c3 y + c4 , where
2 2
c3 , c4 ∈ R. Equation (19) becomes F = c1 ( x +y2 ) + c2 x + c3 y + Q(u)du + c4 .
Substituting the value of F in Eq. (16), we get
[H,xx + H,yy ]F − 2c1 H + c1 [xH,x + yH,y ] + c2 H,x + c3 H,y + Q,u (u) = 0. (20)
Now, our purpose is to obtain the solution of Eq. (20). The above equation (20) by
substituting c2 = c3 = Q,u (u) = 0, admits a plane wave solution of the form [40]
 2 
x − y2
H = J(u) + K(u)xy, (21)
2
where J(u) and K(u) are known as the two polarization states of the plane wave
depending on u. From the physical point of view, plane waves have played an impor-
tant role in the development of electrodynamics starting from the time of earliest
radio transmissions via modern communication system. Moreover, the solution (19)
is mathematical form of generalized plane wave and require further insight. For bet-
ter understanding the space-time structure of the plane wave, it would be interesting

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to find nature of plane wave. The plane wave solution given in Eq. (19) becomes
linearly polarized if we take J(u) = constant and K(u) = 0. Similarly, it becomes
screw symmetric if H is only a function of x and y. It is important to mention here
that there are numerous special possible choices of the polarization states J(u) and
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K(u) whose Killing vector fields have already been discussed in [39]. Further, a
special choice of taking J(u) = u−2 and K(u) = 0, or K(u) = u−2 and J(u) = 0
or J(u) = K(u) = u−2 in Eq. (19) yields an extra Killing vector field, so extra
conservation law [6]. In this paper, we are interested in finding proper conformal
vector fields of the space-times (2) by taking Eq. (19) into account. Further, it is
necessary to mention here that if the function H in Eq. (19) satisfy the condition
uHu + 2H = 0, then J(u) = K(u) = u−2 . Similarly, uHu + xHx + yHy + 2H = 0
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implies that J(u) = K(u) = u−4 [49]. For better understanding the geometry of pp
waves, we are going to classify the above Eq. (19) by putting some other restrictions
on J(u) and K(u). This classification involves the following cases:
2
−y 2
(i) H = u−2 ( x 2 ) + axy, where a ∈ \{0},
2 2
(ii) H = a( x −y
2 ) + u−2 xy, where a ∈ \{0},
2 2
(iii) H = u−2 ( x −y2 ),
−2
(iv) H = u xy,
2 2
(v) H = u−2 [ x −y
2 + xy],
2
−y 2
(vi) H = [ x 2 + xy],
x2 −y 2
(vii) H = ( 2 ),
(viii) H = xy,
2 2
(ix) H = u−4 ( x −y
2 ),
(x) H = u−4 xy.

We will discuss each case one by one.

2
−y 2
Case (i). In this case, we have H = u−2 ( x 2 ) + axy, where a ∈ \{0}. The
space-times (2) take the form

ds2 = [u−2 (x2 − y 2 ) + 2axy]du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (22)

Now, we find proper conformal vector fields of the space-times (22) using
Eqs. (3)–(12). If one proceeds further after some calculations one finds that Ω = c6 ,
which means that no proper conformal vector fields exist. The conformal vector
fields become homothetic vector fields which are

W 0 = 0, W 1 = c6 x, W 2 = c6 y, W 3 = 2c6 v + c7 , (23)

where c6 , c7 ∈ . The above space-time (22) admits two conformal vector fields
in which one is Killing vector field and one is proper homothetic vector field.
The proper homothetic vector field after subtracting Killing vector field from (23) is

W = (0, x, y, 2v). (24)

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2
−y 2
Case (ii). Here, we have H = a( x 2 )+u−2 xy, where a ∈ \{0}. The space-times
(2) take the form
ds2 = [a(x2 − y 2 ) + 2u−2 xy]du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (25)
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Again solving equations (3) to (12) with the help of space-time (25), one finds
that Ω = c6 , which implies that no proper conformal vector fields exist. Here, the
conformal vector fields become homothetic vector fields which are given in Eq. (23).
The Proper homothetic vector field for this case is exactly the same as given in
Eq. (24).
2
−y 2
Case (iii). In this case, we have H = u−2 ( x 2 ). The space-times (2) has the
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form
ds2 = u−2 (x2 − y 2 )du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (26)
The space-time (26) and Eqs. (3)–12) implies that Ω = c7 , which means that
no proper conformal vector fields exist. The conformal vector fields again become
homothetic vector fields which are
α −β √
W 0 = c8 u, W 1 = c7 x + c9 u 2 + c10 u 2 , W 2 = c7 y + u[c11 sin λ + c12 cos λ],
c12 y √ c11 y √ γx
W 3 = 2c7 v − c8 v + √ [ 3 sin λ − cos λ] − √ [sin λ + 3 cos λ] − + c13 ,
2 u 2 u 2
(27)
√ √ β
where c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11
√ , c12 , c13 ∈ , α = (1 + 5), β = (−1 + 5), γ = c9 αu 2 −
−α
c10 βu 2 and λ = 32ln u . The space-time (26) admits seven conformal vector
∂ √
fields in which six are Killing vector fields which are ∂v ∂ ∂
, u ∂u − v ∂v ∂
, u sin λ ∂y −
√ √ √ −β −α
y
√ [sin λ +
2 u
3 cos λ] ∂v , u cos λ ∂y + 2 u [ 3 sin λ − cos λ] ∂v , u ∂x − 2 u
∂ ∂ √y ∂ 2
∂ βx 2

α β
∂
∂v ,
∂
u 2 ∂x − αx ∂
2 u ∂v and one is proper homothetic vector field. The proper homoth-
2

etic vector field after subtracting Killing vector fields from (27) is given in Eq. (24).
Case (iv). Here, we have H = u−2 xy and the space-times (2) take the form
ds2 = 2u−2 xy du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (28)
Again solving equations (3) to (12) using the space-time (28) implies that Ω = c7 ,
which means that no proper conformal vector fields exist, the conformal vector
fields become homothetic vector fields which are
√ α −β
W 0 = c6 u, W 1 = c7 x − u[c8 sin λ + c9 cos λ] + c10 u 2 + c11 u 2 ,
√ α −β
W 2 = c7 y + u[c8 sin λ + c9 cos λ] + c10 u 2 + c11 u 2 ,
c8 √
W 3 = 2c7 v − c6 v + √ [x sin λ − y sin λ + 3(x cos λ − y cos λ)] + c12
2 u (29)
c9 √
− √ [ 3(x sin λ − y sin λ) − x cos λ + y cos λ]
2 u
c10 α(x + y) β c11 β(x + y) −α
− u2 + u 2 ,
2 2
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√ √ √
where α = (1 + 5), β = (−1 + 5), λ = 32ln u and c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 ,
c12 ∈ . The above space-time (28) admits seven conformal vector fields in which
six are Killing vector fields which are
 
√ √
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∂ ∂ 1 ∂
u sin λ − + √ [x sin λ − y sin λ + 3(x cos λ − y cos λ)] ,
∂y ∂x 2 u ∂v
∂ ∂ ∂
u −v , ,
∂u ∂v ∂v
 
√ ∂ ∂ 1 √ ∂
u cos λ − − √ [ 3(x sin λ − y sin λ) − x cos λ + y cos λ] ,
∂y ∂x 2 u ∂v
   
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α ∂ ∂ α(x + y) β ∂ −β ∂ ∂ β(x + y) −α ∂
u2 + − u2 , u 2 + + u 2 .
∂x ∂y 2 ∂v ∂x ∂y 2 ∂v
The remaining one is proper homothetic vector field. The proper homothetic
vector field after subtracting Killing vector fields from (29) is given in Eq. (24).
2
−y 2
Case (v). In this case, we have H = u−2 [ x 2 + xy] and the space-times (2)
become
ds2 = u−2 [x2 − y 2 + 2xy]du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (30)
Solving Eqs. (3)–(12) with the help of the space-time (30) yields Ω = c6 , which
indicates that the conformal vector fields become homothetic vector fields which are
1+α 1−α
W 0 = c5 u, W 1 = c6 x + η1 c7 u 2 + c8 u 2
    
√ β ln u β ln u
+η2 u c9 sin + c10 cos ,
2 2
    
1+α 1−α √ β ln u β ln u
W 2 = c6 y + c7 u 2 + c8 u 2 + u c9 sin + c10 cos ,
2 2
(31)
γ1 −1+α −1−α
W 3 = 2c6 v − c5 v − c7 (1 + α) u 2 − c8 (−1 + α) u 2
2
    
c9 γ2 β ln u β ln u
− √ β cos + sin
2 u 2 2
    
c10 γ2 β ln u β ln u
+ √ β sin − cos + c11 ,
2 u 2 2
√ √ √ √
√ α = 1 + 4√2 , β = −1 + 4 2, γ1 = x + y + 2x, γ2 = x + y − 2x, η1 =
where
1 + 2, η2 = 1 − 2 and c5 , c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 ∈ . The above space-time (30)
admits seven conformal vector fields in which six are Killing vector fields which are
 
1−α ∂ ∂ γ1 −1−α ∂ 1+α ∂ ∂
η1 u 2 + + (−1 + α)u 2 , η1 u 2 −
∂x ∂y 2 ∂v ∂x ∂y
γ1 −1+α ∂
− (1 + α)u 2 ,
2 ∂v

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√ β ln u ∂ ∂ γ2 β ln u β ln u ∂
η2 u sin + − √ β cos + sin ,
2 ∂x ∂y 2 u 2 2 ∂v
∂ ∂
u−v ,
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∂u ∂v
      
√ β ln u ∂ ∂ γ2 β ln u β ln u ∂ ∂
η2 u cos + + √ β sin − cos , .
2 ∂x ∂y 2 u 2 2 ∂v ∂v
The remaining one is proper homothetic vector field. The proper homothetic vector
field after subtracting Killing vector fields from (31) is same as given in Eq. (24).

Case (vi).
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Here, we have a sub class of screw symmetric pp-waves and H is of the form
2 2
H = [ x −y
2 + xy]. The space-times (2) take the form

ds2 = [x2 − y 2 + 2xy]du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (32)

Again in this case Ω = c7 , ⇒ that the conformal vector fields become homothetic
vector fields which are
W 0 = c6 , W 1 = c7 x + β[c8 sin(21/4 u) − c9 cos(21/4 u)]
1/4 1/4
+ α[c10 e(−2 )u
+ c11 e(2 )u
],
1/4 1/4
W 2 = c7 y − [c8 sin(21/4 u) − c9 cos(21/4 u)] + c10 e(−2 )u
+ c11 e(2 )u
,
(33)
−1/4 √
2 1/4 1/4
W 3 = 2c7 v + [ 2(3x + y) + 4x + 2y][c10 e(−2 )u − c11 e(2 )u ]
α
2−1/4 √
+ [ 2(x − y) − 2y][−c8 cos(21/4 u) − c9 sin(21/4 u)] + c12 ,
α
√ √
where α = (1 + 2), β = (−1 + 2) and c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 , c12 ∈ . The space-
time (32) admits seven conformal vector fields in which six are Killing vector fields
which are
∂ ∂ 2−1/4 √ ∂
α sin(2−1/4 u) − sin(21/4 u) − [ 2(x − y) − 2y] cos(21/4 u) ,
∂x ∂y α ∂v
∂ ∂ 2−1/4 √ ∂
− β cos(21/4 u) + cos(21/4 u) − [ 2(x − y) − 2y] sin(21/4 u) ,
∂x ∂y α ∂v

1/4 ∂ ∂ 2−1/4 √ 1/4 ∂ ∂
e(−2 )u
α + + [ 2(3x + y) + 4x + 2y]e(−2 )u , ,
∂x ∂y α ∂v ∂u

(21/4 )u ∂ ∂ 2−1/4 √ 1/4 ∂ ∂
e α + − [ 2(3x + y) + 4x + 2y]e(2 )u , .
∂x ∂y α ∂v ∂v
The remaining one is proper homothetic vector field. The proper homothetic vector
field is given in Eq. (24).

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Case (vii). In this case, we have a plane wave linearly polarized and the value of
2 2
H is H = ( x −y
2 ). The space-times (2) become
ds2 = (x2 − y 2 )du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2 du dv. (34)
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Solving Eqs. (3)–(12) using the space-time (34), we found that Ω = c7 , which
implies that the conformal vector fields become homothetic vector fields which are
W 0 = c6 , W 1 = c7 x + c10 e−u + c11 eu , W 2 = c7 y + c8 sin u + c9 cos u,
(35)
W 3 = 2c7 v − y[c8 cos u − c9 sin u] + x[c10 e−u − c11 eu ] + c12 ,
where c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 , c12 ∈ . The space-time (34) admits seven conformal
∂ ∂
− y cos u ∂v
∂
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vector fields in which six are Killing vector fields which are ∂u , sin u ∂y ,
−u ∂
cos u ∂y + y sin u ∂v , e [ ∂x + x ∂v ], e [ ∂x − x ∂v ], ∂v and one is proper homothetic
∂ ∂ ∂ u ∂ ∂ ∂

vector field. The proper homothetic vector field is same as given in Eq. (24).
Case (viii). Here, we have another form of screw symmetric pp-wave and H = xy.
The space-times (2) take the form
ds2 = 2xy du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2du dv. (36)
Solution of Eqs. (3)–(12) for the space-time (36) gives Ω = c7 , which implies that
the conformal vector fields become homothetic vector fields which are
W 0 = c6 , W 1 = c7 x − [c10 sin u + c11 cos u] + c8 eu + c9 e−u ,
W 2 = c7 y + c10 sin u + c11 cos u + c8 eu + c9 e−u , (37)

W 3 = 2c7 v + (x − y)[c10 cos u − c11 sin u] − (x + y)[c8 eu − c9 e−u ] + c12 ,

where c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 , c12 ∈ . The above space-time (36) admits seven con-
formal vector fields in which six are Killing vector fields which are sin u[ ∂y ∂
−
∂x ] + cos u(x − y) ∂v , e [ ∂x + ∂y − (x + y) ∂v ], cos u[ ∂y − ∂x ] − sin u(x − y) ∂v ,
∂ ∂ u ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂

e−u [ ∂x
∂ ∂
+ ∂y + (x + y) ∂v ∂
], ∂u∂ ∂
, ∂v and one is proper homothetic vector field. The
proper homothetic vector field is given in Eq. (24).
2
−y 2
Case (ix). Here, we have H = u−4 ( x 2 ). The space-times (2) become
ds2 = u−4 (x2 − y 2 )du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2du dv. (38)
The conformal vector fields in this case are
W 0 = c6 u 2 , W 1 = (c6 u + c7 )x + u[c10 sinh u−1 + c11 cosh u−1 ],
W 2 = (c6 u + c7 )y + u[c8 sin u−1 + c9 cos u−1 ],
 2 
x + y2 c8 y
W 3 = −c6 + 2c7 v − [u sin u−1 − cos u−1 ]
2 u (39)
c9 y
− [u cos u−1 + sin u−1 ]
u
c10 x c11 x
− [u sinh u−1 − cosh u−1 ] + [−u cosh u−1 + sinh u−1 ] + c12 ,
u u
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Classification of vacuum classes of plane fronted gravitational waves

where Ω = c6 u + c7 and c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 , c12 ∈ . The above space-time (38)

admits seven conformal vector fields in which five are Killing vector fields, one is
proper homothetic vector field which is given in Eq. (24) and one is proper conformal
vector field. The proper conformal vector field after subtracting homothetic vector
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field from (39) is

 2 
x + y2
W 0 = c6 u2 , W 1 = c6 ux, W 2 = c6 uy, W 3 = −c6 . (40)
2

Case (x). In this case, we have H = u−4 xy. The space-times (2) take the form
ds2 = 2u−4 xy du2 + dx2 + dy 2 + 2du dv. (41)
Int. J. Geom. Methods Mod. Phys. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com

Here, the conformal vector fields are

W 0 = c6 u 2 , W 1 = (c6 u + c7 )x − u[c8 cos u−1 + c9 sin u−1 ]
+u[c10 cosh u−1 + c11 sinh u−1 ],
W 2 = (c6 u + c7 )y + u[c8 cos u−1 + c9 sin u−1 ] + u[c10 cosh u−1 + c11 sinh u−1 ],
 2 
3 x + y2 c8 (x − y)
W = −c6 + 2c7 v + [u cos u−1 + sin u−1 ]
2 u
(42)
c9 (x − y) −1 −1
+ [u sin u − cos u ]
u
c10 (x + y)
− [u cosh u−1 − sinh u−1 ]
u
c11 (x + y)
− [u sinh u−1 − cosh u−1 ] + c12 ,
u
where Ω = c6 u + c7 and c6 , c7 , c8 , c9 , c10 , c11 , c12 ∈ . The above space-time (41)
admits seven conformal vector fields in which five are Killing vector fields, one is
proper homothetic vector field which is given in Eq. (24) and one is proper conformal
vector field which is given in Eq. (40).

3. Summary
Plane fronted GWs also known as pp-waves has remained a topic of special interest
in the last couple of years and in the modern theoretical physics because of the new
theoretical ideas like kinetic energy of the free particle, center of mass density of
gravitational wave and the memory effect [10]. Study of conservation laws in the
background of well-known class of plane GWs is important. In this regard, most
basic symmetry is Killing symmetry which give rise to certain conservation laws.
Sipple and Goenner have classified pp-waves according to Killing vector fields and
thus developed a verity of conservation laws [39]. In this paper, we have studied a
more general class of symmetries than Killing and homothetic symmetry and found
proper conformal vector fields of pp-wave space-times in the f (R) theory of gravity

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F. Hussain et al.

using algebraic and direct integration techniques. From this study, we found that
in the f (R) theory of gravity, the pp-wave space-times admit a very special class of
solutions known as plane fronted GWs which is given in Eq. (21). Further, we have
found proper conformal vector fields of this special type of solution by classifying
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it into ten cases. The results of this study are:

(a) The space-times in the cases (i) to (viii) admit proper homothetic vector field
which is given in Eq. (24). Note that our result is the verification of the corollary
of Kuhnel and Rademacher [49, p. 180] which states that for any pp-waves, if
xH,x +yH,y = 2H, then it admits proper homothetic vector field. Moreover, the
space-times in the cases (iii), (iv) and (v) admit an additional Killing vector
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field u∂u − v∂v which is also known as boost vector field or boost rotation
in the literature. This boost vector field appear due to uH,u + 2H = 0, which
verify the corollary of the same paper [49, p. 179]. Physically, homothetic vector
fields have close relationship with the Lie and Noether point symmetries of
wave and Klein–Gordon equations which leads to the conserved quantities [50].
Study of such equations is important in the problem of stability. In spite of
these, homothetic vector fields play a significant role to address the problem of
singularities in GR [51, 52].
(b) The space-times in the cases (ix) and (x) admit proper conformal vector
fields. In both the cases, proper conformal vector field is same and is given in
Eq. (40). Our results are the verification of corollary of Kuhnel and Rademacher
[49, p. 180] which states that on any pp-wave space-time if uH,u +xH,x +yH,y +
2H = 0, then the space-time admit proper conformal vector field. Conformal
vector fields are important objects for studying the geometry of several kinds of
manifolds as well as acts as a key probes in the characterization of several kinds
of important spaces, like Euclidean space, Euclidean sphere and the complex
projective space. On the other hand, one can find the potential functions of
wave and Klein–Gordon equations by using the generators of conformal vector
fields which provide a base to solve the well-known Obata’s differential equa-
tion. Similarly, one can obtain energy e(X) of a smooth conformal vector field
X on a Riemannian manifold M using the relation e(X) = 12 M  X 2 [53].

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