Constraining Gravitational Theories by Observing Magnetic White Dwarfs
Abstract
Under the assumption of a specific nonminimal coupling of torsion to Under the assumption of a specific nonminimal coupling of torsion to electromagnetism, spacetime is birefringent in the presence of a gravitational field leading to depolarization of light emitted from extended astrophysical sources. We use polarimetric data of the magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853 to set for the very first time constraints on the essential coupling constant for this effect, giving k^2 <22 m^2. electromagnetism, spacetime is birefringent in the presence of a gravitational field leading to depolarization of light emitted from extended astrophysical sources. We use polarimetric data of the magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853 to set for the very first time constraints on the essential coupling constant for this effect, giving k^2 <22 m^2.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0411688,
title = {Constraining Gravitational Theories by Observing Magnetic White Dwarfs},
author = {Oliver Preuss and Stefan Jordan and Mark P. Haugan and Sami K. Solanki},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0411688},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
4 pages, 1 Figure, to appear in the proceedings of the 14th European Workshop on White Dwarfs, eds. D. Koester and S. Moehler, ASP Conf. Series