  A white dwarf star achieves its equilibrium from the balancing of the
gravitational compression against the Fermi degeneracy pressure of the electron
gas. In field theory there are examples (e.g. the monopole-charge system) where
a strong magnetic field can transform a boson into a fermion or a fermion into
a boson. In some condensed matter systems (e.g. fractional quantum Hall
systems) a strong magnetic field can transform electrons into effective
fermions, or effective anyons. Based on these examples we investigate the
possibility that the strong magnetic fields of some white dwarfs may transform
some fraction of the electrons into effective bosons. This could have
consequences for the structure of highly magnetized white dwarfs. It would
alter the mass-radius relationship, and in certain instances one could envision
a scenario where a white dwarf below the Chandrasekhar limit could nevertheless
collapse into a neutron star due to a weakening of the electron degeneracy
pressure. In addition the transformation of electrons into effective bosons
could result in the electrons Bose condensing, which could speed up the cooling
rate of white dwarfs.
