This paper aims to provide an introduction to the problem of determining the mass-radius relationship for white dwarfs. Both Newtonian and general relativistic case are examined, electromagnetic interactions are considered and the problem of $β$-decay equilibrium is discussed in particular for Helium WD
This is the summary of the parallel session entitled "White Dwarf Pulsars and Rotating White Dwarf Theory", chaired by Yukikatsu Terada in Thirteenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting. The origin of cosmic rays remains a mystery, even over 100 years since their discovery. Neutron stars (NSs) are considered textbook cases of particle acceleration sites in our Galaxy, but many unresolved numerical problems remain. Searches for new acceleration sites are crucial for astrophysics. The magnetized white dwarfs (MWDs) have the same kind of rotating magnetosphere as NSs, and may be the source of up to 10% of g…
Accretion-driven spin-up of a magnetized white dwarf in a close binary system is discussed. We address a situation in which the magnetic field of the white dwarf is screening during the accretion phase and re-generating due to the field diffusion through the accreted material after it. We find this scenario to be effective for a formation of massive pulsar-like white dwarfs.
RX J0648.0-4418 is a post common-envelope X-ray binary composed of a hot subdwarf and one of the most massive white dwarfs with a dynamical mass measurement (1.28+/-0.05 M_sun). This white dwarf, with a spin period of 13.2 s, rotates more than twice faster than the white dwarf in the cataclysmic variable AE Aqr. The current properties of these two binaries, as well as their future evolution, are quite different, despite both contain a fast-spinning white dwarf. RX J0648.0-4418 could be the progenitor of either a Type Ia supernova or of a non-recycled millisecond pulsars.
Static and uniformly rotating, cold and hot white dwarfs are investigated both in Newtonian gravity and general theory of relativity, employing the well-known Chandrasekhar equation of state. The mass-radius, mass-central density, radius-central density etc relations of stable white dwarfs with $μ=A/Z=2$ and $μ=56/26$ (where $A$ is the average atomic weight and $Z$ is the atomic charge) are constructed for different temperatures. It is shown that near the maximum mass the mass of hot rotating white dwarfs is slightly less than for cold rotating white dwarfs, though for static white dwarfs the …
In this work we compute models for relativistic white dwarfs in the presence of strong magnetic fields. These models possibly contribute to super-luminous SNIa. With an assumed axi-symmetric and poloidal magnetic field, we study the possibility of existence of super-Chandrasekhar magnetized white dwarfs by solving numerically the Einstein-Maxwell equations, by means of a pseudo-spectral method. We obtain a self-consistent rotating and non-rotating magnetized white dwarf models. According to our results, a maximum mass for a static magnetized white dwarf is 2.13 $\rm{M_{\odot}}$ in the Newtonia…
The topic of magnetized super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs is in the limelight, particularly in the last few years, since our proposal of their existence. By full-scale general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) numerical analysis, we confirm in this work the existence of stable, highly magnetized, significantly super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs with mass more than 3 solar mass. While a poloidal field geometry renders the white dwarfs oblate, a toroidal field makes them prolate retaining an overall quasi-spherical shape, as speculated in our earlier work. These white dwarfs are expected to …
Ultra-massive white dwarfs ($ 1.05 \rm M_\odot \lesssim M_{WD}$) are particularly interesting objects that allow us to study extreme astrophysical phenomena such as type Ia supernovae explosions and merger events. Traditionally, ultra-massive white dwarfs are thought to harbour oxygen-neon (ONe) cores. However, recent theoretical studies and new observations suggest that some ultra-massive white dwarfs could harbour carbon-oxygen (CO) cores. Although several studies have attempted to elucidate the core composition of ultra-massive white dwarfs, to date, it has not been possible to distinguish …
White dwarfs are the most common endpoints of stellar evolution. They are often found in close binary systems in which the white dwarf is accreting matter from a companion star, either via an accretion disc or channelled along the white dwarf magnetic field lines. The nature of this binary depends on the masses and the separation of the two stellar components, as well as other parameters such as the white dwarf magnetic field and the nature of the stars. This chapter looks at the formation of white dwarfs and intrinsic properties, before looking at the different populations of accreting white …
Ultra-massive white dwarfs ($\rm M_{WD} \gtrsim 1.05\, M_{\odot}$) are considered powerful tools to study type Ia supernovae explosions, merger events, the occurrence of physical processes in the Super Asymptotic Giant Branch (SAGB) phase, and the existence of high magnetic fields. Traditionally, ultra-massive white dwarfs are expected to harbour oxygen-neon (ONe) cores. However, new observations and recent theoretical studies suggest that the progenitors of some ultra-massive white dwarfs can avoid carbon burning, leading to the formation of ultra-massive white dwarfs harbouring carbon-oxygen…
We perform calculations of white dwarfs endowed with strong magnetic fields. White dwarfs are the progenitors of supernova Type Ia explosions and they are widely used as candles to show that the Universe is expanding and accelerating. However, observations of ultraluminous supernovae have suggested that the progenitor of such an explosion should be a white dwarf with mass above the well-known Chandrasekhar limit $\sim \,$1.4 $\rm{M_{\odot}}$. In corroboration with other works, but by using a fully general relativistic framework, we obtained also strongly magnetized white dwarfs with masses $\r…
We compute static equilibria of white dwarf stars containing strong poloidal magnetic field, and present the modification of white dwarf mass-radius relation caused by the magnetic field. We find that a maximum white dwarf mass of about $1.9$~$M\odot$ may be supported if the interior field is as strong as approximately $10^{10}$ T. This mass is over 30 per cent larger than the traditional Chandrasekhar Limit. The equation of state of electron degenerate matter can be strongly modified due to Landau quantization at such high magnetic fields. We find, however, that this does not significantly af…
We explore the possibility that the recently discovered white dwarf pulsar AR Sco acquired its high spin and magnetic field due to repeated episodes of accretion and spin-down. An accreting white dwarf can lead to a larger mass and consequently a smaller radius thus causing an enhanced rotation period and magnetic field. This spinning magnetic white dwarf temporarily can inhibit accretion, spin down, and, eventually, the accretion can start again due to the shrinking of the binary period by gravitational radiation. A repeat of the above cycle can eventually lead to a high magnetic field white …
Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play a crucial role as standardizable cosmological candles, though the nature of their progenitors is a subject of active investigation. Recent observational and theoretical work has pointed to merging white dwarf binaries, referred to as the double-degenerate channel, as the possible progenitor systems for some SNe Ia. Additionally, recent theoretical work suggests that mergers which fail to detonate may produce magnetized, rapidly-rotating white dwarfs. In this paper, we present the first multidimensional simulations of the post-merger evolution of white dwarf bin…
Here we extend the exploration of significantly super-Chandrasekhar magnetised white dwarfs by numerically computing axisymmetric stationary equilibria of differentially rotating magnetised polytropic compact stars in general relativity (GR), within the ideal magnetohydrodynamic regime. We use a general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) framework that describes rotating and magnetised axisymmetric white dwarfs, choosing appropriate rotation laws and magnetic field profiles (toroidal and poloidal). The numerical procedure for finding solutions in this framework uses the 3+1 formalism of …
A simple cooling model of white dwarf stars is re-analyzed in Palatini $f(R)$ gravity. Modified gravity affects the white dwarf structures and consequently their ages. We find that the resulting super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs need more time to cool down than sub-Chandrasekhar ones, or when compared to the Newtonian models.
Over the past couple of decades, researchers have predicted more than a dozen super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs from the detections of over-luminous type Ia supernovae. It turns out that magnetic fields and rotation can explain such massive white dwarfs. If these rotating magnetized white dwarfs follow specific conditions, they can efficiently emit continuous gravitational waves and various futuristic detectors, viz. LISA, BBO, DECIGO, and ALIA can detect such gravitational waves with a significant signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, we discuss various timescales over which these white dwarfs can …