Numerical solutions of the modified Lane-Emden equation in f(R)-gravity

The modified Lane-Emden equation for stellar hydrostatic equilibrium in f(R)-gravity is numerically solved by using an iterative procedure. Such an integro-differential equation can be obtained in the weak field limit approximation of f(R)-gravity by considering a suitable polytropic equation of state in the modified Poisson equation. The approach allows, in principle, to deal with still unexplored self-graviting systems that could account for exotic stellar structures that escape standard stellar theory.