White Dwarfs in Globular Clusters

Abstract

Surrounding the galaxy,with an aloofness appropriate to their great age,the globular clusters have played a starry role in the development of much of modern astronomy. In particular,they continue to be vital laboratories for testing our ideas of stellar evolution (Renzini and Fusi Pecci 1988). Through the study of cluster color-magnitude diagrams (CMD’s),all the major phases in the life of a common low mass star can be traced,save one. The final sequence, the locus of cooling white dwarfs, remains unexplored. We are forced to glean our knowledge of this evolutionary phase from the study of a heterogeneous sample of relatively nearby stars. Although remarkable progress has been made, the prospect of observing white dwarfs in globular clusters offers the potential for new insights into old problems; e.g., the DA/DB dichotomy, and perhaps a resolution of some of the outstanding issues connected with the clusters themselves.