Spin-up and spin-down evolution in general relativistic rotating white dwarfs

Abstract

In this work we study spin-up and spin-down evolution of super-and sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs by angular momentum loss. We show that super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs can only spin-up, whereas sub-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs can only spin down by angular momentum loss. Moreover we show that the white dwarfs of mass close to the Chandrasekhar mass limit can both spin-up and spin-down depending on the initial rotation period.