Jeans analysis in modified gravity: a general formulation

Abstract We study the Jeans instability of a self-gravitating fluid in the context of alternative gravitational theories. Our formulation accommodates arbitrary corrections to the Newtonian potential, providing a versatile approach to analyzing a wide range of gravity theories in the weak-field limit. As concrete examples, we explore in detail three specific modifications: the Maneff potential, a logarithmic correction, and a Yukawa-type correction to Newtonian gravity. These three cases serve as representative examples of the range of functional forms-power-law, logarithmic, and exponential-that one might expect to arise in alternative theories of gravity. We determine the conditions for instability and the growth rate of perturbations for these potentials. To evaluate their validity, we compare the established stability criteria with the observed stability data from Bok globules, thereby enabling us to place constraints on the parameters of these alternative gravitational theories. Additionally, we extend our analysis to the quantum regime, offering a broader perspective on the interplay between gravity and quantum effects in the context of alternative theories of gravity.