LAUSR

Abstract In this work, we have investigated the dynamical instability of spherically symmetric gravitating object under expansion-free condition in Einstein Gauss–Bonnet gravity. In this context, the field equations and dynamical equations have been established in the Gauss–Bonnet gravity. The linear perturbation scheme has been used on the dynamical equations to construct the collapse equation. The Newtonian, post Newtonian and post Newtonian approximations have been applied to investigate the general dynamical (in)stability equations. It has been observed that the instability range of the collapsing source is independent of adiabatic index Γ (stiffness of the fluid does not play any role). The instability range can be determined by the pressure anisotropy, energy density profile, Gauss–Bonnet parameter α and some constraints at Newtonian, post Newtonian and post Newtonian order.