Magnetic White Dwarfs: Observations, Theory, and Future Prospects

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current understanding of magnetic white dwarfs, discussing their observed properties, possible origins of their magnetic fields, and future research directions in this intriguing astrophysical class.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of observational data, theoretical models, and debates on the origin of magnetic fields in white dwarfs, highlighting areas for future investigation.

Findings

Magnetic white dwarfs exhibit a wide range of field strengths from kilogauss to gigagauss.

The origin of their magnetic fields remains debated, with theories including fossil fields, binary interactions, and internal generation.

Current paradigms and observational evidence are summarized to guide future research.

Abstract

Isolated magnetic white dwarfs have field strengths ranging from kilogauss to gigagauss, and constitute an interesting class of objects. The origin of the magnetic field is still the subject of a hot debate. Whether these fields are fossil, hence the remnants of original weak magnetic fields amplified during the course of the evolution of the progenitor of white dwarfs, or on the contrary, are the result of binary interactions or, finally, other physical mechanisms that could produce such large magnetic fields during the evolution of the white dwarf itself, remains to be elucidated. In this work we review the current status and paradigms of magnetic fields in white dwarfs, from both the theoretical and observational points of view.