Summary
The density of the white dwarf stars is reconsidered from the point of view of the theory of the poly tropic gas spheres, and gives for themean density of a white dwarf (under ideal conditions) the formula ρ=2.162 × 106 × (M/⊙)2.
The above formula is derived on considerations which are a much nearer approximation to the conditionsactually existent in a white dwarf than the previous calculations of Stoner based on uniform density distribution in the star and which gave for the limiting density the formula ρ=3.977 × 106 × (M/⊙)2.
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References
R. H. Fowler. Month. Not. Roy. A. S. lxxxvii. p. 114 (1926)
E. C. Stoner, Phil. Mag. vii. p. 63 (1929): ix. p. 944 (1930).
Additional information
Communicated by R. H. Fowler, F.R.S.
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Chandrasekhar, S. XLVIII. The density of white dwarf stars. J. Astrophys. Astr. 15, 105–109 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03012170
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03012170