On a nonlinear and Lorentz-Invariant version of Newtonian gravitation-II

Abstract

This paper gives a full nonlinear version of Newtonian gravity in which the gravitational energy acts as a source of the gravitational field. The generalized field equation for the scalar gravitational potential is solved for a spherically symmetric localized distribution of matter. It is shown that the perihelia of orbits of test particles in such a field precess steadily. The effect is, however, too small to account for the observed shift in the perihelion of planet Mercury. Further, the bending of light in this theory is zero. It is suggested that these inadequacies of the quasi-Newtonian framework call for more sophisticated approaches to gravity.