# Complex Spiral Structure in the HD 100546 Transitional Disk as Revealed by GPI and MagAO

## TL;DR

This paper presents high-contrast optical and near-infrared imaging of the HD 100546 transitional disk, revealing detailed substructures like an inner cavity and spiral arms, using advanced imaging techniques and data processing.

## Contribution

It provides the first detailed multi-wavelength imaging of the disk’s substructures, including the cavity and spiral features, with improved sensitivity and analysis methods.

## Key findings

- Inner disk cavity at 15 au clearly resolved
- Multiple spiral features identified in the disk
- Emission at HD 100546 c is consistent with disk emission

## Abstract

We present optical and near-infrared high contrast images of the transitional disk HD 100546 taken with the Magellan Adaptive Optics system (MagAO) and the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). GPI data include both polarized intensity and total intensity imagery, and MagAO data are taken in Simultaneous Differential Imaging mode at H{\alpha}. The new GPI H -band total intensity data represent a significant enhancement in sensitivity and field rotation compared to previous data sets and enable a detailed exploration of substructure in the disk. The data are processed with a variety of differential imaging techniques (polarized, angular, reference, and simultaneous differential imaging) in an attempt to identify the disk structures that are most consistent across wavelengths, processing techniques, and algorithmic parameters. The inner disk cavity at 15 au is clearly resolved in multiple datasets, as are a variety of spiral features. While the cavity and spiral structures are identified at levels significantly distinct from the neighboring regions of the disk under several algorithms and with a range of algorithmic parameters, emission at the location of HD 100546 c varies from point-like under aggressive algorithmic parameters to a smooth continuous structure with conservative parameters, and is consistent with disk emission. Features identified in the HD100546 disk bear qualitative similarity to computational models of a moderately inclined two-armed spiral disk, where projection effects and wrapping of the spiral arms around the star result in a number of truncated spiral features in forward-modeled images.