Synthetic Modelling of Polarized Dust Emission in Intermediate-Mass YSOs: II: Effects of Radiative Torque Disruption on Dust Grains in Protostellar Jets/Outflows

TL;DR

This study models the effects of radiative torque disruption (RATD) on dust grains in protostellar jets and outflows, revealing how RATD influences grain size distribution and polarization signals in intermediate-mass young stellar objects.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical model of RATD in protostellar environments and integrates it into POLARIS, highlighting the selective destruction of large grains and its impact on dust polarization.

Findings

RATD destroys aggregate grains of 1-500 μm size within 2 years at luminosities ≥20L☉.

RATD prevents migration of certain large grains but not very large or highly tensile composite grains.

Polarization degree can be halved when aggregate grains are disrupted by RATD.

Abstract

One of the potential explanations for the existence of very large grains (VLGs) in the inner envelope of low/intermediate-mass Class 0/I Young Stellar Object is the migration of VLGs from the protostellar disk via a protostellar outflow. To understand whether the grain migration is prevented by RAdiative Torque Disruption (RATD), we perform the numerical modeling of RATD in parallel with the grain propagation, using the gas velocity and density structure inside the jet and outflow from an MHD simulation of an intermediate Class 0 protostar. We found that with the bolometric luminosity $\geq 20L_{\odot}$, RATD can destroy aggregate grains of size $1 \sim 500\rm \mu m$ having maximum tensile strength $S_{\rm max} \leq 10^{5} \rm erg cm^{-3}$ inside the jet/outflow base after $< 2$ yrs. This effect lets sub-micron grains dominate the outflow and partially prevent the migration of large grains from the inner disk to inner envelope. In contrast, RATD cannot prevent the migration of composite VLGs and submillimeter grains having $S_{\rm max}\geq 10^{7} \rm erg cm^{-3}$. Next, we incorporate RATD into POLARIS, assuming grains are not moving relative to the gas. We found that POLARIS works well in describing the disruption for aggregate grains, but overestimates the disruption efficiency for composite grains. The observed polarization degree can be reduced by twice when aggregate grains are removed from the outflow cavity wall and inner envelope by RATD. However, RATD is not an important factor controlling dust polarization properties as iron inclusions do.