Tiny but Powerful- Hunting for Extreme White Dwarfs - KITP Chalk Talk by Ilaria Caiazzo

Explore the fascinating world of white dwarfs in this KITP Chalk Talk by Dr. Ilaria Caiazzo from Caltech. Delve into the nature of these tiny yet incredibly dense stellar remnants, which represent the final evolutionary stage for most stars in the universe. Learn about recent discoveries of extreme white dwarfs with unique properties, such as intense magnetic fields and rapid rotation rates, including the smallest known white dwarf. Understand how these findings are challenging current theories of white dwarf evolution and providing new insights into their connection to supernovae. Discover how the refurbished Palomar Observatory, equipped with the new ZTF instrument, is enabling groundbreaking research in this field. Gain insights into Dr. Caiazzo's diverse research interests, spanning from X-ray studies of black holes and neutron stars to optical observations of white dwarfs and infrared searches for ancient brown dwarfs. Explore her involvement in cutting-edge projects like the IXPE X-ray polarimeter and the proposed Colibrì X-ray telescope concept.