Azimuthal Dust Polarization from Aerodynamically Aligned Grains as Evidence for the Streaming Instability in Protoplanetary Disks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Lin, Zhe-Yu Daniel, Lim, Jeonghoon, Simon, Jacob B., Li, Zhi-Yun, Carrera, Daniel, Fernández-López, Manuel, Harrison, Rachel, Li, Rixin, Looney, Leslie W., Stephens, Ian W., Yang, Haifeng
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Lin, Zhe-Yu Daniel
Lim, Jeonghoon
Simon, Jacob B.
Li, Zhi-Yun
Carrera, Daniel
Fernández-López, Manuel
Harrison, Rachel
Li, Rixin
Looney, Leslie W.
Stephens, Ian W.
Yang, Haifeng
author_facet Lin, Zhe-Yu Daniel
Lim, Jeonghoon
Simon, Jacob B.
Li, Zhi-Yun
Carrera, Daniel
Fernández-López, Manuel
Harrison, Rachel
Li, Rixin
Looney, Leslie W.
Stephens, Ian W.
Yang, Haifeng
contents (Sub)millimeter dust polarization in protoplanetary disks has revealed the presence of large (~ 100 um) dust grains that are aligned along their long axis following the azimuthal direction of the disk. The novel Badminton Birdie-like Aerodynamic Alignment predicts large grains to align with their long axes following the direction of gas flow experienced by the dust, denoted as the A-field. With 3D streaming instability (SI) simulations, we find that the A-field is predominantly in the radial direction in regions of low dust-to-gas ratio, but in the azimuthal direction in regions of high dust-to-gas ratio. Through polarized radiation transfer, we find that the resulting polarization angle indeed follows the disk azimuthal direction in the high dust density regions. Therefore, the azimuthal dust polarization pattern, as observed in an increasing number of disks, especially at relatively long millimeter wavelengths, offers evidence of ongoing SI in protoplanetary disks.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_05122
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Azimuthal Dust Polarization from Aerodynamically Aligned Grains as Evidence for the Streaming Instability in Protoplanetary Disks
Lin, Zhe-Yu Daniel
Lim, Jeonghoon
Simon, Jacob B.
Li, Zhi-Yun
Carrera, Daniel
Fernández-López, Manuel
Harrison, Rachel
Li, Rixin
Looney, Leslie W.
Stephens, Ian W.
Yang, Haifeng
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
(Sub)millimeter dust polarization in protoplanetary disks has revealed the presence of large (~ 100 um) dust grains that are aligned along their long axis following the azimuthal direction of the disk. The novel Badminton Birdie-like Aerodynamic Alignment predicts large grains to align with their long axes following the direction of gas flow experienced by the dust, denoted as the A-field. With 3D streaming instability (SI) simulations, we find that the A-field is predominantly in the radial direction in regions of low dust-to-gas ratio, but in the azimuthal direction in regions of high dust-to-gas ratio. Through polarized radiation transfer, we find that the resulting polarization angle indeed follows the disk azimuthal direction in the high dust density regions. Therefore, the azimuthal dust polarization pattern, as observed in an increasing number of disks, especially at relatively long millimeter wavelengths, offers evidence of ongoing SI in protoplanetary disks.
title Azimuthal Dust Polarization from Aerodynamically Aligned Grains as Evidence for the Streaming Instability in Protoplanetary Disks
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.05122