White Dwarf Structure and Binary Inspiral Gravitational Waves from Quantum Hadrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper develops a quantum hadrodynamics model to analyze white dwarf structures and predicts gravitational waves from binary inspirals, enhancing understanding of compact objects and aiding future gravitational wave detection.

Contribution

It introduces a unified relativistic framework for white dwarf structure and gravitational wave prediction, incorporating nuclear physics and tidal effects up to 2.5 post-Newtonian order.

Findings

Successfully reproduces white dwarf structures for key elements

Predicts gravitational wave signals including tidal deformability effects

Provides a cohesive theoretical approach for compact object analysis

Abstract

White dwarfs, one of the compact objects in the universe, play a crucial role in astrophysical research and provide a platform for exploring nuclear physics. In this work, we extend the relativistic mean field approach by using a Walecka-type quantum hadrodynamics model to capture the intricate structure of white dwarfs. We calculate nuclear properties, Coulomb energy, and photon energy within white dwarfs in a unified framework. By carefully calibrating the model parameters to align with nuclear matter properties, we successfully reproduce the structures of several elements in white dwarfs, such as the isotopes of $\rm C$ and $^{16}\rm O$, except for the unnaturally deeply bound state $^4$He. Furthermore, we predict the characteristics of white dwarfs composed of atom-like units and the gravitational waves stemming from binary white dwarf inspirals incorporating tidal deformability contributions up to the 2.5 post-Newtonian order. These results shed light on the structure of white dwarfs and provide valuable information for future gravitational wave detection. This methodological advancement allows for a cohesive analysis of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and the nuclear pasta within a unified theoretical framework.