Search for astrophysical rotating Ellis wormholes with X-ray reflection spectroscopy

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential observational signatures of rotating Ellis wormholes in X-ray reflection spectra, aiming to distinguish them from black holes, but finds current technology insufficient for definitive detection.

Contribution

It introduces a method to identify rotating Ellis wormholes via X-ray reflection spectroscopy and compares their signatures to those of Kerr black holes.

Findings

Specific iron line profile signatures can differentiate wormholes from black holes.

Current X-ray missions lack the sensitivity to strongly constrain the presence of such wormholes.

Simulations show potential observational features but require future advanced instruments.

Abstract

Recently, two of us have found numerically rotating Ellis wormholes as solutions of 4-dimensional Einstein gravity coupled to a phantom field. In this paper, we investigate possible observational signatures to identify similar objects in the Universe. These symmetric wormholes have a mass and are compact, so they may look like black holes. We study the iron line profile in the X-ray reflection spectrum of a thin accretion disk around rotating Ellis wormholes and we find some specific observational signatures that can be used to distinguish these objects from Kerr black holes. We simulate some observations with XIS/Suzaku assuming typical parameters for a bright AGN and we conclude that current X-ray missions cannot apply strong constraints.