Catalogue of averaged stellar effective magnetic fields - I. Chemically peculiar A and B type stars

This paper presents the catalogue and the method of determination of averaged quadratic effective magnetic fields $\langle B_{\rm e} \rangle$ for 596 main sequence and giant stars. The catalogue is based on measurements of the stellar effective (or mean longitudinal) magnetic field strengths B e , which were compiled from the existing literature. We analysed the properties of 352 chemically peculiar A and B stars in the catalogue, including Am, ApSi, He-weak, He-rich, HgMn, ApSrCrEu, and all ApSr type stars. We have found that the number distribution of all chemically peculiar (CP) stars vs. averaged magnetic field strength is described by a decreasing exponential function. Relations of this type hold also for stars of all the analysed subclasses of chemical peculiarity. The exponential form of the above distribution function can break down below about 100 G, the latter value representing approximately the resolution of our analysis for A type stars.