White Dwarfs as Probes of Fundamental Physics (IAU S357) : Tracers of Planetary, Stellar and Galactic Evolution

More than ninety percent of stars will end their lives as white dwarfs. They are fascinating objects in their own right, but they also impact other areas of research, such as cosmology, extrasolar planets and fundamental physics. IAU S357 indicates the direction of white dwarf research for the next decade.

White dwarfs are the most numerous members of the stellar graveyard. More than ninety percent of all stars will end their lives as white dwarfs. Research on these objects is fascinating in its own right, requiring developments in atomic data and the study of properties of matter under extreme conditions. However, these studies also have enormous impact on other areas of astrophysics, including: cosmology, the composition of extrasolar planets and fundamental physics. The proceedings of IAU Symposium 357 bring together experts from different branches of science working on white dwarfs, but also astronomers with expertise in a wide range of relevant disciplines. The resulting papers are organized around several key themes: SN Ia progenitors, debris from extrasolar planetary systems, fundamental physics, precision studies of white dwarf structure and stellar physics and Galactic evolution. They provide a framework for guiding the direction of white dwarf research for the next decade.