The Predicted Signature of Neutrino Emission in Observations of Pulsating Pre-White Dwarf Stars

Pre-white dwarf (PWD) evolution can be driven by energy losses caused by neutrino emission in the core. Unlike the solar neutrino flux, this is not the by-product of nuclear fusion but is instead the result of electron-scattering processes in the hot, dense regions of the PWD core. We show that the observed rate of period change in cool PWD pulsators will constrain neutrino emission in their cores, and we identify appropriate targets for future observation. Such a measurement will tell us whether the theories of lepton interactions correctly describe the production rates and therefore neutrino cooling of PWD evolution. This would represent the first test of standard lepton theory in dense plasma.