  The linear polarization that is observed, together with likely changes in the
orientation of the magnetic field along the line of sight and hence of the
optical axes of the medium, can lead to the circular polarization that is
observed in the radiation of the circumstellar SiO masers. A magnetic field
greater than only about 30 mG is required, in contrast to 10-100 G that would
be implied by the Zeeman interpretation. To assess quantitatively the likely
changes in orientation of the magnetic field, calculations are performed with
representative field configurations that are created by statistical sampling
using a Kolmogorov-like power spectrum.
