Invited Presentation
Disk Polarization in the ALMA Era
Presenter: Zhi-Yun Li (University of Virginia)
Spatially resolved disk polarization at (sub)millimeter and centimeter wavelengths was initially detected using SMA, CARMA and VLA. It is poised for rapid growth in the ALMA era. The conventional explanation is that the disk polarization comes from direct emission from magnetically aligned grains. If true, it would provide the long sought-after evidence for the magnetic field that is widely expected to play a key role in disk dynamics and evolution. However, there are alternative explanations, including scattering by large grains. I will discuss the scattering-induced disk polarization, focusing on the effects of disk inclination to the line of sight, optical depth effects, and the potential for probing grain growth and settling in disks through polarization
observations.
asiaa.sinica.edu.tw