Polarization in Disks

TL;DR

This paper discusses how polarized dust emission in disks reveals magnetic fields and grain properties, emphasizing the need for high-resolution multiwavelength observations to disentangle different polarization mechanisms and understand grain evolution during planet formation.

Contribution

It highlights the importance of multiwavelength, high-resolution observations to distinguish polarization mechanisms and study grain evolution in disks.

Findings

Polarized dust emission can originate from different mechanisms in disks.

Multiwavelength observations are essential to disentangle polarization sources.

Upgrades to interferometric facilities will enhance understanding of grain evolution.

Abstract

Polarized dust emission outside of disks reveal the magnetic field morphology of molecular clouds. Within disks, however, polarized dust emission can arise from very different mechanisms (e.g., self-scattering), and each of them are useful for constraining physical properties in the disk. For example, these mechanisms allow us to constrain the disk grain size distributions and grain/disk geometries, independent from current methods of measuring these parameters. To accurately model these features and disentangle the various polarization mechanisms, multiwavelength observations at very high resolution and sensitivity are required. With significant upgrades to current interferometric facilities, we can understand how grains evolve in disks during the planet formation process.