High-resolution UVES/VLT spectra of white dwarfs observed for the ESO SN Ia progenitor survey (SPY). I. ^*,**

¹ Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universität Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
² Dr.-Remeis-Sternwarte, Astronomisches Institut der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Sternwartstr. 7, 96049 Bamberg, Germany
³ Hamburger Sternwarte, Universität Hamburg, Gojenbergsweg 112, 21029 Hamburg, Germany
⁴ European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
⁵ Astronomical Institute "Anton Pannekoek" , Kruislaan 400, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
⁶ Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 48 Pyatnitskaya Str., 109107 Moscow, Russia

Corresponding author: D. Koester, koester@astrophysik.uni-kiel.de

Received: 10 April 2001
Accepted: 14 August 2001

Abstract

We have started a large survey for radial velocity variations in white dwarfs (PI R. Napiwotzki) with the aim of finding close double degenerates, which could be precursor systems for SNe Ia. The UVES spectrograph at the ESO VLT is used to obtain high resolution spectra with good . During this project 1500 white dwarfs will be observed. This unique data set will also allow to derive atmospheric parameters and masses for the largest sample of white dwarfs ever analyzed in a homogenous way. In this paper we present a catalog of objects and report results for the first sample of about 200 white dwarfs, many of which are spectroscopic confirmations of candidates from the HE, MCT, and EC surveys. Among the peculiar spectra we identify two new magnetic DA, one previously known magnetic DA, several DA with emission cores, in some cases due to a late-type companion, and two new DBA.