White dwarfs as test beds for f(T) gravity

Abstract

General Relativity has been quite a successful theory in describing most physical astrophysical and cosmological phenomena. However, a growing number of issues with this theory have since been established thanks to technological advances in obtaining high precision data. In attempting to resolve such issues, a plethora of modified and alternate theories of gravity have been proposed in recent years. However, such theories have to ultimately be compatible with all observational data including those which are already well explained within general relativity. One test involves obtaining the mass-radius relationship of compact objects, which is a plot of the masses and the corresponding radii of hydrostatic equilibrium configurations obtained in a given theory of gravity for an assumed model of the compact object in question. Particularly, in this work, the mass-radius relationship of white dwarfs is explored within one possible alternative theory of gravity, f(T ) gravity, involving a power law modification. Using a mass-radius data catalogue of isolated white dwarfs compiled by Nalezyty and Madej, the theory is constrained and tested for viability.