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The answer is No, as observed by Dirac, Eddington, and Einstein himself (see references below). The key point is that Einstein's mathematical expression for the so-called "energy components" $t^\alpha_\sigma$ of the gravitational field is not tensorial. The non-tensoriality of the energy components implies the energy field cannot be localized and has no observer-independant components.

P.A.M. Dirac said ``in general, gravitational energy cannot be localized. The best we can do is use a pseudotensor...which gives us approximate information about gravitational energy, which in some special cases can be accurate." (See Dirac's book "General Theory of Relativity").

Dirac says, "Let us consider the energy of these waves. Oweing to the pseudo-tensor not being a real tensor, we do not get, in general, a clear result independant of the coordinate system. But there is one special case in which we do get a clear result; namely when the waves are all moving in the same direction", (Ibid).

Any person interested in further critical analysis is well recommended to see Section 8 of Crothers' article https://vixra.org/abs/1804.0399 and also https://vixra.org/abs/1103.0051 . (This author's own critical review of the above articles finds them very informative, and with very clear treatment of differential geometry.

It does not yet appear possible. Please let me explain.

Einstein's GR postulates the equality of a curvature tensor $R_{ij}-R g_{ij}$ with a mass-energy quantity of the form $\kappa T_{ij}$ where $T$ is a term representing mass-energy. That is $R_{ij}-Rg_{ij}=\kappa T_{ij}$

The equality demands:

Hypothesis (i) that the LHS term of Einstein's GR equation $R_{ij}-Rg_{ij}$ is an invariant tensor, and has vanishing tensor divergence $div(R_{ij}-Rg_{ij})=0$. (And this is true, as verified by calculations).

Hypothesis (ii): that the RHS mass-energy quantity $T_{ij}$ be a tensor quantity, and that $T_{ij}$ have well-defined tensor divergence which vanishes identically.

The GR equation appears to be well formed only if (ii) is satisfied.

In Einstein's formulation of GR (1916) an expression for the mass energy $T$ was given, but which failed to satisfy (ii). The error is an improper index contraction. The master of the absolute differential calculus, Levi-Civita corrected Einstein's original expression $t^\alpha_\sigma$ for the so-called "energy components" $t^\alpha_\sigma$ of the gravitational fields. Levi-Civita's form of GR equations yields proper tensor divergences $div T$ if $T$ is tensorial. See Ch.XI, SS 20-25 in Levi-Civita's "Absolute Differential Calculus". However Levi-Civita's appears to confuse mass with matter, invoking the continuity equation of incompressible fluid flow as parallel for the energy density using $e=mc^2=\rho c^2$. But we see no reason why mass needs satisfy a continuity equation. For we acknowledge that matter is neither created nor destroyed, but mass is mutable. This is controversial, relating to Newton's definition of mass as a measure of matter.

The tensoriality of $T$ is not readily established, being dependant on the physical model used.

As far as Einstein's original expression $t=t^\alpha_\sigma$, P.A.M. Dirac said ``in general, gravitational energy cannot be localized. The best we can do is use a pseudotensor...which gives us approximate information about gravitational energy, which in some special cases can be accurate." (See Dirac's book "General Theory of Relativity").

Dirac says further, "Let us consider the energy of these waves. Oweing to the pseudo-tensor not being a real tensor, we do not get, in general, a clear result independant of the coordinate system. But there is one special case in which we do get a clear result; namely when the waves are all moving in the same direction", (Ibid).

So as of yet, the answer to the OP's question appears Negative.

I humbly submit that the answer is No, and that it is proven by the following fact: that Einstein's mathematical expression for the so-called "energy components" $t^\alpha_\sigma$ of the gravitational field are not tensorial (references given below).

  The non-tensoriality of the energy components implies that the energy field cannot be localized (and has no observer-independant components).

So the speed of propagation of the GW cannot be proven without an arbitrary choice of coordinates (and in that choice you have your choice of linearization).

Formally speaking, the statement "that energy components of the gravitational field satisfies wave equations" is not tensorial ("covariant") and therefore not a well formed statement in the category of Einstein's GR.

P.A.M. Dirac apparently believed it was not possible, and that ``in general, gravitational energy cannot be localized. The best we can do is use a pseudotensor...which gives us approximate information about gravitational energy, which in some special cases can be accurate." (See Dirac's book "General Theory of Relativity").

The key point -- as realized by Einstein, Eddington, Dirac, Abrams, even Crothers -- is that Einstein's so-called "gravitational energy tensor" is not a tensor at all! To quote Einstein: "The quantities $t^\alpha_\sigma$ we call the 'energy components' of the gravitational field,..., it is to be noted that $t^\alpha_\sigma$ is not a tensor". (See Einstein's ``The Foundation of the General Relativity, 1916, S.15).

A further difficult is that Einstein apparently discovers the conservation of gravitational energy by evaluating the coordinate divergence(!) of $t$ and finding $\frac{\partial t^\alpha_\sigma}{\partial x_\alpha}=0$. He says "This equation expresses the law of conservation of momentum and of energy for the gravitational field." (Ibid) The vanishing of a coordinate divergence of a nontensor object is not a covariant object except for observers who share the same volume form, i.e. except under linear unimodular change of coordinates.

See Section 8 of Crothers article https://vixra.org/abs/1804.0399 for a detailed analysis, and also https://vixra.org/abs/1103.0051

N.B. Regardless of your personal opinions as to the infallibility of great men of science, it appears that Mr. Crothers' article is mathematically sound. And for open minded persons honestly interested in the first principles of GR, his articles are also extremely informative.

The answer is No, as observed by Dirac, Eddington, and Einstein himself (see references below). The key point is that Einstein's mathematical expression for the so-called "energy components" $t^\alpha_\sigma$ of the gravitational field is not tensorial. The non-tensoriality of the energy components implies the energy field cannot be localized and has no observer-independant components.

P.A.M. Dirac said ``in general, gravitational energy cannot be localized. The best we can do is use a pseudotensor...which gives us approximate information about gravitational energy, which in some special cases can be accurate." (See Dirac's book "General Theory of Relativity").

The key point -- as realized by Einstein, Eddington, Dirac, Hoyle, Abrams, even Crothers -- is that Einstein's so-called "gravitational energy tensor" is not a tensor at all! To quote Einstein: "The quantities $t^\alpha_\sigma$ we call the 'energy components' of the gravitational field,..., it is to be noted that $t^\alpha_\sigma$ is not a tensor". (See Einstein's ``The Foundation of the General Relativity, 1916, S.15).

A further difficult is that Einstein apparently discovers the conservation of gravitational energy by evaluating the coordinate divergence(!) of $t$ and finding $\partial t^\alpha_\sigma / \partial x_\alpha=0$. He says "This equation expresses the law of conservation of momentum and of energy for the gravitational field." (Ibid) However, the vanishing of a coordinate divergence of a nontensor object is not a covariant object except (in this case) for observers who share the same volume form, i.e. unimodular linear change of coordinates change of coordinates.

Any person interested in further critical analysis is well recommended to see Section 8 of Crothers' article https://vixra.org/abs/1804.0399 and also https://vixra.org/abs/1103.0051 . (This author's own critical review of the above articles finds them very informative, and with very clear treatment of differential geometry.

The answer is apparently no, and even more, the speed of propagation cannot be proven without an arbitrary choice of coordinates. So the statement is not even a proper statement in the category of GR, i.e. is not tensorial.

A.S. Eddington similarly concluded the nonpossibility, writing: ``If coordinates are chosen so as to satisfy a certain condition which has no very clear geometrical importance, the speed [of gravity waves] is that of light; if the coordinates are slightly different the speed is altogether different from that of light. The result stands or falls by the choice of coordinates, ...". (See Eddington, The Mathematical Theory of Relativity, section 57).

The key point -- as realized by Einstein, Eddington, Dirac, and Crothers -- is that Einstein's so-called "gravitational energy tensor" is not a tensor at all. To quote Einstein "The quantities $t^\alpha_\sigma$ we call the 'energy components' of the gravitational field,..., it is to be noted that $t^\alpha_\sigma$ is not a tensor". (See Einstein's ``The Foundation of the General Relativity, 1916, S.15).

However Einstein is aware that $t^\alpha_\sigma$ acts like a tensor when restricted to unimodular linear change of coordinates. Crothers' key criticism is that Einstein then takes coordinate divergence of $t$, and not a tensor divergence (since $t$ is not a tensor).

As Dirac says, "Let us consider the energy of these waves. Oweing to the pseudo-tensor not being a real tensor, we do not get, in general, a clear result independant of the coordinate system. But there is one special case in which we do get a clear result; namely when the waves are all moving in the same direction", (Ibid).

(N.B. Regardless of your personal opinions as to the infallibility of great men of science, it appears that Mr. Crothers' article is mathematically sound. And for open minded persons honestly interested in the first principles of GR, his articles are also extremely informative.)

I humbly submit that the answer is No, and that it is proven by the following fact: that Einstein's mathematical expression for the so-called "energy components" $t^\alpha_\sigma$ of the gravitational field are not tensorial (references given below).

The non-tensoriality of the energy components implies that the energy field cannot be localized (and has no observer-independant components).

So the speed of propagation of the GW cannot be proven without an arbitrary choice of coordinates (and in that choice you have your choice of linearization).

Formally speaking, the statement "that energy components of the gravitational field satisfies wave equations" is not tensorial ("covariant") and therefore not a well formed statement in the category of Einstein's GR.

A.S. Eddington similarly concluded the nonpossibility, writing: ``If coordinates are chosen so as to satisfy a certain condition which has no very clear geometrical importance, the speed [of gravity waves] is that of light; if the coordinates are slightly different the speed is altogether different from that of light. The result stands or falls by the choice of coordinates, ...". (See Eddington, The Mathematical Theory of Relativity, S 57).

The key point -- as realized by Einstein, Eddington, Dirac, Abrams, even Crothers -- is that Einstein's so-called "gravitational energy tensor" is not a tensor at all! To quote Einstein: "The quantities $t^\alpha_\sigma$ we call the 'energy components' of the gravitational field,..., it is to be noted that $t^\alpha_\sigma$ is not a tensor". (See Einstein's ``The Foundation of the General Relativity, 1916, S.15).

Einstein noted well that $t$ is not a tensor, but is invariant under linear unimodular change of coordinates. This is elaborated in many excellent articles by E.Norton (see his articles on General Covariance and Einstein's Point-Coincidence Argument, and the long documented struggles which Einstein had in developing satisfactory covariant equations.

A further difficult is that Einstein apparently discovers the conservation of gravitational energy by evaluating the coordinate divergence(!) of $t$ and finding $\frac{\partial t^\alpha_\sigma}{\partial x_\alpha}=0$. He says "This equation expresses the law of conservation of momentum and of energy for the gravitational field." (Ibid) The vanishing of a coordinate divergence of a nontensor object is not a covariant object except for observers who share the same volume form, i.e. except under linear unimodular change of coordinates.

Dirac says, "Let us consider the energy of these waves. Oweing to the pseudo-tensor not being a real tensor, we do not get, in general, a clear result independant of the coordinate system. But there is one special case in which we do get a clear result; namely when the waves are all moving in the same direction", (Ibid).

N.B. Regardless of your personal opinions as to the infallibility of great men of science, it appears that Mr. Crothers' article is mathematically sound. And for open minded persons honestly interested in the first principles of GR, his articles are also extremely informative.