An extensive -photometric survey of southern B and A type bright stars ^*,**

¹ Departamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 104, Santiago 22, Chile
² Institut für Astronomie der Universität Wien, Türkenschanzstraße 17, A-1180 Wien, Austria
³ CNPq/Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica, Caixa Postal 21, CEP 37500-000 Itajubá, MG, Brasil

Send offprint request to: H.M. Maitzen, e-mail: MAITZEN@ASTRO.AST.UNIVIE.AC.AT

Received: 31 July 1997
Accepted: 16 January 1998

Abstract

Photoelectric photometry of 803 southern BS objects in the -system as detection tool for magnetic chemically peculiar (=CP2) stars has been carried out and compared to published spectral types. The statistical yield of such objects detected by both techniques is practically the same. We show that there are several factors which contaminate the search for these stars, but this contamination is only of the order of 10% in both techniques. We find a smooth transition from normal to peculiar stars. Our sample exhibits the largest fraction of CP2 stars at their bluest colour interval, i.e. 10% of all stars in the colour range or . No peculiar stars based on the -criterion were found at bluer colours. Towards the red side the fraction of CP2 stars drops to about 3% for positive values of or with red limits roughly corresponding to normal stars of spectral type A5. The photometric behaviour of other peculiar stars: Am, HgMn, δ Del, λ Boo, He abnormal stars, as well as Be/shell stars and supergiants shows some slight, but definite deviations from normal stars. Spectroscopic and visual binaries are not distinguished from normal stars in their behaviour. The results of this work justify larger statistical work (e.g. in open clusters) employing more time-saving photometric methods (CCD).