Cool white dwarfs : cooling theory and Galactic implications

Abstract

We summarize recent improvements in model atmosphere and internal structure of faint white dwarfs. We derive an analytical cooling theory which illustrates the effects of various physical processes on the energy budget and the cooling history of cool white dwarfs. We consider in particular the effect of chemical fractionation at crystallization. This process, although it liberates a small amount of energy, affects significantly the cooling time of white dwarfs at their low-luminosity stages. This modifies the age of the faintest white dwarf ever observed, ESO 439-26, and bears important consequences for the Galactic implications of white dwarf evolution, age of the Galactic disk and expected contribution to the halo mass. We briefly consider the remaining major uncertainties in white dwarf cooling theory.