
The criteria of the anisotropic quark star models in Rastall gravity
Takol Tangphati,1, ∗Ayan Banerjee,2, †Sudan Hansraj,2, ‡and Anirudh Pradhan3, §
1Theoretical and Computational Physics Group,
Theoretical and Computational Science Center (TaCS), Faculty of Science,
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Prachauthid Rd., Bangkok 10140, Thailand
2Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science,
University of KwaZulu–Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
3Centre for Cosmology, Astrophysics and Space Science,
GLA University, Mathura-281 406, Uttar Pradesh, India
(Dated: October 5, 2022)
Quark stars are terrestrial laboratories to study fundamental physics at ultrahigh densities and
temperatures. In this work, we investigate the internal structure and the physical properties of quark
stars (QSs) in the Rastall gravity. Rastall gravity is considered a non-conservative theory of gravity,
which is an effective gravity theory at high energy density, e.g., relevant to the early universe and
dense, compact objects. We derive the hydrostatic equilibrium structure for QSs with the inclusion of
anisotropic pressure. More specifically, we find the QS mass-radius relations for the MIT bag model.
We focus on the model depending on the Rastall free parameter ηand examine the deviations from
the General Relativity (GR) counterparts.
I. INTRODUCTION
In order to construct realistic models capable of rep-
resenting physically viable configurations of matter re-
quires solving a complicated system of gravitational
field equations. In this regard, the standard theory of
gravity proposed by Einstein has generated over 120 ex-
act solutions to the field equations for the well studied
isotropic fluid case. What has proved elusive is find-
ing exact solutions with realistic equations of state since
the isotropy equation is complicated. In the literature,
there is no exact solution known for the simplest linear
barotropic case. When models display an equation of
state, it is often discovered after an assumption of one
of the gravitational potentials is made [1–3] and is usu-
ally very complicated. Relaxation of the condition of
isotropy carries the elevated prospects of finding exact
solutions with the caveat of introducing imperfect flu-
ids.
In the 1970s, some six decades after the first per-
fect fluid solutions emerged, the concept of pressure
anisotropy was introduced through the observations of
Ruderman [4], and Canuto [5]. Bowers and Liang [6]
reported the first such solutions and thereafter numer-
ous exact solutions emerged on account of the now triv-
ial field equations [7–12]. Solution finding is trivial be-
cause any metric can solve the anisotropic field equa-
∗takoltang@gmail.com
†ayanbanerjeemath@gmail.com
‡hansrajs@ukzn.ac.za
§pradhan.anirudh@gmail.com
tions. Such solutions must still be examined against
the conditions for physical acceptability. In most cases,
there are violations of these conditions, or an equation of
state is not realizable. The possibility of anisotropy car-
ries the major mathematical advantage of studying exact
solutions with equations of state, given that two degrees
of freedom are inherent in the field equations. Various
conjectures have been made regarding the question of
what could give rise to anisotropy. For example, pion
condensation in neutron stars could account for unequal
pressure stresses [13]. It is also known that Boson stars
display pressure anisotropy [14]. Therefore there are
solid motivations to investigate anisotropic stellar dis-
tributions.
It is widely believed that general relativity may need
augmentation at the scale of the universe and that it is
also not well tested in extreme gravity regimes such as
near black holes. Additionally, the explanation of the
accelerated cosmic expansion evades general relativity
unless an appeal to exotic matter, such as dark energy
and dark matter, is made. Rastall [15,16] argued that
the vanishing divergence of the Einstein tensor does
not necessarily imply the vanishing divergence of the
energy-momentum tensor. There is room for the covari-
ant divergence of the energy-momentum tensor to vary
as the gradient of the Ricci scalar in his proposal. In
such a scenario, energy conservation must be sacrificed.
However, when studying closed compact objects such
as stars, it is not unreasonable for net energy production
or loss as such are not genuinely isolated systems. Be-
sides, non-conservative systems have been an active and
fertile area of research for a long time. This property is
arXiv:2210.01372v1 [gr-qc] 4 Oct 2022