The strange case of the missing white dwarfs... and other mysteries.
Abstract
During the past 20 yr, the understanding of the composition and structure of white dwarfs, and their atmospheres in particular, has been revolutionized by space-based observations. It is no coincidence that these advances have taken place alongside the explosion in X-ray astronomy, beginning with Einstein and continuing now with ROSAT, ASCA and, in the "ultrasoft" X-ray regime, EUVE. This review charts how ideas about white dwarfs have evolved from the first ANS observations of Sirius B, reported in 1975, through to early 1996. The first studies of atmospheric composition, based on broad band photometric studies with Einstein and EXOSAT are outlined and set the context for the important and often surprising results from the ROSAT sky survey. Spectroscopic data from EUVE are beginning to add fine detail to the broad global picture painted by ROSAT.
- Publication:
-
Roentgenstrahlung from the Universe
- Pub Date:
- February 1996
- Bibcode:
- 1996rftu.proc...77B
- Keywords:
-
- White Dwarfs: Extreme UV;
- White Dwarfs: X Rays;
- White Dwarfs: Stellar Atmospheres;
- White Dwarfs: Chemical Composition