RAMAN-SCATTERING IN SYMBIOTIC STARS .1. SPECTROPOLARIMETRIC OBSERVATIONS

We present high signal-to-noise, high-dispersion linear spectropolarim etry of the Raman-scattered lambda lambda 6825, 7082 Angstrom emission lines in 27 southern-hemisphere symbiotic systems. We give continuum polarization measurements for all the targets (together with estimates of the foreground interstellar polarization), and new estimates of th e red-giant spectral types in 23 systems. We confirm continuum-polariz ation variability in five out of eight systems with previous high-qual ity photopolarimetry. The Raman lines are fully resolved; although the y display a wide variety of morphologies, both the intensity and polar ization profiles appear basically to be triple-peaked. Spectra of five systems observed in both 1992 and 1994 show stable Raman-line intensi ty profiles, but with significant variations in the polarization struc ture.