Program: GN-2012B-Q-125

We propose to obtain spectra for 15 faint, new white dwarf candidates suspected to be within 40 parsecs of the Sun, as a continuation of our survey of white dwarfs in the Solar Neighbourhood. Statistics and distribution of physical parameters of the local white dwarfs are fundamental tools for understanding the evolution of the Galactic stellar populations and quantifying their ages. These can only be established from a statistically complete, volume-limited sample of white dwarfs, free from any selection bias. We have recently assembled the most extensive list of white dwarf candidates in the vicinity of the Sun (covering the northern hemisphere), and are now in the process of con�?rming their white dwarf nature and proximity, and determining their physical parameters through spectroscopic follow-up observations. Our past use of the NOAO facilities has yielded the identi�?cation of 195 new white dwarfs, and a preliminary spectroscopic analysis places 57 of them within 40 pc, and 16 within 25 pc. This represents a major step towards the completion of the local census of white dwarfs. The survey has also revealed an impressive variety of cool exotic white dwarfs, all of which have the potential for becoming prototypes of their classes: magnetic white dwarfs, metal-polluted ones, and even a DAZ suspected to have an accretion disc. We also identi�?ed new binary systems, such as DA+dM, and double degenerate binary candidates. We are now near the completion of our follow-up survey, in particular for the brighter candidates. We request additional time to complete the spectroscopic observations, from which we will complete the con�?rmation of new white dwarfs and derive physical parameters for all the objects.