Suppose a white dwarf's core retains a small residual hydrogen mass fraction (with…

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Thermal, Statistical & Complex Systems · Astrophysics & Cosmology · Stellar death and compact objects

Stars from the Inside, Ch White dwarfs: the relativistic polytrope, the Chandrasekhar mass and a cooling clock

Problem

Suppose a white dwarf's core retains a small residual hydrogen mass fraction X=0.05X=0.05 (with the rest fully ionised heavier elements), so that μe=2/(1+X)\mu_e = 2/(1+X). ((a)) Find μe\mu_e for this core. ((b)) Use MCh=5.83 μe−2 M⊙M_{\rm Ch} = 5.83\,\mu_e^{-2}\,M_\odot to find the Chandrasekhar mass for this composition, and state whether it is larger or smaller than the pure carbon-oxygen value of 1.46 M⊙1.46\,M_\odot.

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