Search for traversable wormholes in active galactic nuclei using X-ray data

TL;DR

This study develops a relativistic reflection spectrum model to differentiate between black holes and traversable wormholes in active galactic nuclei using X-ray data, but current observations cannot distinguish the two.

Contribution

We extended previous work by creating a comprehensive XSPEC model for relativistic reflection spectra around wormholes and applied it to real X-ray data.

Findings

Both black hole and wormhole models fit the data equally well.

Current X-ray observations cannot distinguish between black holes and wormholes.

The model provides a tool for future tests with better data.

Abstract

In a previous paper, one of us calculated iron K$\alpha$ line profiles emitted from possible accretion disks around traversable wormholes as a first step to use X-ray reflection spectroscopy to search for astrophysical wormholes in active galactic nuclei. In the present paper, we extend that work and construct an XSPEC model for the whole relativistic reflection spectrum. We apply our model to XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of the supermassive object in MCG-6-30-15 and we check whether these observations prefer the hypothesis that the central body is a Kerr black hole or a traversable wormhole. We find that the two models provide equally good fits, so with the available data we cannot distinguish the black hole and wormhole scenarios.