DO GRAVITATIONAL-WAVES TRAVEL AT LIGHT VELOCITY

We extend the standard Feynman-Deser approach of held theoretical deri vation of Einstein's gravitational theory. We show that it is possible to obtain a theory that, incorporates a great part of general relativ ity (GR) and can be interpreted in the standard geometrical way like G R, as far as the interaction of matter to gravity is concerned. The mo st important distinction of the new theory concerns the gravity-to-gra vity interaction. This theory satisfies all standard tests of gravity and leads to new predictions about gravitational propagation. Since th ere is a strong expectation that the detection of gravitational waves will occur in the near future, the question of which theory describes nature better will probably be settled soon. (C) 1997 Academic Press.