Self-gravitating systems in Extended Gravity

TL;DR

This paper explores how Extended Theories of Gravity, incorporating higher order curvature invariants and scalar fields, can explain astrophysical phenomena traditionally attributed to dark matter, by analyzing weak field limits and comparing with General Relativity.

Contribution

It generalizes the weak field limit of Extended Gravity theories and compares their astrophysical implications to those of General Relativity, focusing on dark matter alternatives.

Findings

Modified gravity can account for galactic rotation curves.

Effective gravitational potentials vary between Jordan and Einstein frames.

Weak field limit results differ from standard GR predictions.

Abstract

Starting from the weak field limit, we discuss astrophysical applications of Extended Theories of Gravity where higher order curvature invariants and scalar fields are considered by generalizing the Hilbert-Einstein action linear in the Ricci curvature scalar $R$. Results are compared to General Relativity in the hypothesis that Dark Matter contributions to the dynamics can be neglected thanks to modified gravity. In particular, we consider stellar hydrostatic equilibrium, galactic rotation curves, and gravitational lensing. Finally, we discuss the weak field limit in the Jordan and Einstein frames pointing out how effective quantities, as gravitational potentials, transform from one frame to the other and the interpretation of results can completely change accordingly.