Kinematical tests of white dwarf formation channels and evolution

Published observational data on the effective temperature, radius, mass, and kinematics of 420 DA stars, 53 DB stars, 88 DC stars, 13 DH/DP stars, 26 DQ stars, and 24 DZ stars from the catalog of McCook and Sion (1987) are compiled in extensive tables and analyzed statistically. The results are presented graphically and discussed in detail. Major findings reported include identification of the magnetic degenerate stars as a kinematically distinct group of young disk objects, higher-than-average mean motions and velocity dispersions for carbon-band DQ stars, and no kinematic differences between DA and DB stars of similar color and magnitude. From the general kinematic similarity of DA stars and their non-DA counterparts it is inferred that they probably did not evolve from more massive progenitors. (T.K.)