White dwarf structure and binary inspiral gravitational waves from quantum hadrodynamics

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 C and 16 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.