New model atmosphere analyses of cool white dwarfs: a revised luminosity function and constraints on the age of the Galaxy

Abstract

We have obtained new photometric and spectroscopic data for a large sample of cool white dwarfs. These data have been analysed with state-of-the-art model atmospheres and effective temperatures and atmospheric compositions have been determined (Bergeron, Ruiz & Leggett 1997). Radii and masses have also been obtained for those stars with accurate parallax measurements. These high quality data and models allow us to produce an improved cool white dwarf luminosity function based on the Liebert, Dahn & Monet (1988) proper motion sample. The turn-over seen at the faint end of this luminosity function, combined with theoretical cooling sequences, enable us to constrain the age of the local region of the Galaxy.