A search for magnetic fields in the symbiotic and VV CEP variables.

The McDonald Observatory's 2.7 m photoelectric analyzer was used to examine five symbiotic and VV Cephei variables for the presence of coherent longitudinal fields. Repeated observations of magnetic Ap stars indicates an absolute sensitivity of plus or minus 100-200 gauss. To this level, no new evidence is found supporting the reported kilogauss fields on the quiescent symbiotics AG Pegasi and EG Andromedae, nor for the VV Cephei stars VV Cephei and WY Geminorum, contrary to extant photographic determinatios. Observations of CH Cygni following its 1977 eruption also yielded null results. The lack of significant line broadening correlated with effective z-values further rules out the presence of large transverse components. Current magnetic models for symbiotics invoking large fields do not appear viable. The outbursts of symbiotics are more simply interpreted as the result of variable mass transfer and accretion in an interacting binary system, like other cataclysmic variables.