Spectra of White-Dwarf Stars at Wavelengths < 3000 A: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

Astronomers studying objects outside the solar system first used the ultraviolet, extreme ultraviolet, and x-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum in the 1970s. The exploration of these wavelength regions has produced considerable improvements in our understanding of these objects. The achievements of x-ray astronomy are perhaps the best known. With the advance of satellite technology, other wavelength regions begin to play a role, and x-ray astronomy moves into the luminosity domain where quiescent as well as violent astrophysical processes can produce detectable amounts of radiation. This paper reviews the current state of our interpretation of white-dwarf stars at wavelengths less than 3000 A.