Spectroscopic and photometric analysis of WDs

Our aim is to compare the physical parameters derived from the spectroscopic and photometric techniques, and then to test the theoretical mass-radius relation for white dwarfs using these results. The agreement between spectroscopic and photometric parameters is found to be excellent, especially for effective temperatures, showing that our model atmospheres and fitting procedures provide an accurate, internally consistent analysis.

The values of surface gravity and solid angle obtained, respectively, from spectroscopy and photometry, are combined with parallax measurements in various ways to study the validity of the mass-radius relation from an empirical point of view. After a thorough examination of our results, we find that 73% and 92% of the white dwarfs are consistent within 1{sigma} and 2{sigma} confidence levels, respectively, with the predictions of the mass-radius relation, thus providing strong support to the theory of stellar degeneracy.