CBS 128 - A new magnetic degenerate with a 65 megagauss surface field

A new magnetic degenerate, CBS 128, has been discovered through follow-up spectroscopy of the Case Blue Star candidates (Wagner et al., 1988). The spectrum reveals Zeeman-shifted Balmer-line components in a 16,000 K DA atmosphere. The spectroscopic observations have been modeled with a synthetic, magnetically distorted spectrum of a star with a centered dipole field geometry (cf. Latter et al., 1987). The model-derived polar field strength for CBS 128 is 65 megagauss (MG), placing this star's field value between the 30 MG (or less) values of the majority of magnetics and the strong-field cases at or above 100 MG. CBS 128, like the vast majority of the magnetic white dwarfs, has small space motions with respect to the sun, a possible indication of youth and evolution from fairly massive progenitors. 21 refs