  We present seven evolutionary tracks for low-mass white dwarfs with helium
cores, ranging in mass from 0.179 to 0.414 Msol. We generated the pre-white
dwarf models from a 1 Msol sequence extending up to the tip of its red-giant
branch by applying high mass-loss rates at appropriate positions, and we
followed their evolution across the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and down the
cooling path. We discuss the internal structures and cooling properties of
these new models and compare them with those of recently published models for
low-mass white dwarfs which are based on simplified initial configurations. We
also demonstrate that our new models seem to remove the apparent discrepancies
between the characteristic ages of millisecond pulsars and the cooling ages of
their white dwarf companions.

Astrophysics