Late A-type stars: new Strömgren photometric calibrations of absolute magnitudes from HIPPARCOS Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes have been used to derive aphotometric absolute magnitude calibration of main-sequence late A-typestars in terms of Strömgren photometric indices - accounting fortemperature, evolution and metallicity effects - and projectedequatorial rotational velocities. The derived calibrations are valid formain-sequence normal A3-A9 and metallic Am stars, showing residuals of0.22 and 0.20 magnitudes, respectively. One of the fitting methods used(BCES) allows the derivation of the observational ZAMS in this spectralrange, showing an excellent accordance with theoretical evolutionarymodels. The evolutionary state of the Am stars is also discussed.Table~A1 is only available in electronic form from CDS via anonymous ftp130.79.128.5, and by e-mail: request to cesca@am.ub.es
Lists of photometric AM candidates The Geneva photometric m parameter (Nicolet and Cramer, 1982) is used inorder to select Am photometric candidates from the Rufener (1981)catalogue. Two lists are given, the first containing field stars and thesecond cluster stars. According to the photometric criteria thediffusion process probably responsible for the Am phenomenon takes placerather quickly as Am candidates are present in young clusters. It isconfirmed that the phenomenon is enhanced by low rotational velocity andhigh metallicity. The age seems to slightly affect the Am phenomenon.
