The astrophysics of ultra-compact binaries

G. Nelemans, M. Wood, P. Groot, S. Anderson, K. Belczynski, M. Benacquista, P. Charles, A. Cumming, C. Deloye, P. Jonker, V. Kalogera, C. Knigge, T. Marsh, P. Motl, R. Napiwotzki, K. O'Brien, E. S. Phinney, G. Ramsay, T. Shahbaz, J. -E. Solheim, D. Steeghs, M. van der Sluys, F. Verbunt, B. Warner, K. Werner, K. Wu, L. R. Yungelson

Published 2009-02-17Version 1

This white paper briefly describes the astrophysics of ultra-compact binaries, with emphasis of the challenges and opportunities in the next decade.