Chandrasekhar mass from central polytropic constants
ID: chandrasekhar-mass-from-central-polytropic-constants
Chandrasekhar mass from central polytropic constants by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-11-05
An ultrarelativistic degenerate electron gas has , so it forms an index-three stellar polytrope. Insert and into that equation of state: the radius cancels, leaving the displayed mass. For fully ionized helium, and . This is the ideal limiting Chandrasekhar mass, rather than a claim that every ordinary white dwarf has that mass.
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