Science Highlight

The research by Satoshi Ohashi and his team on the protoplanetary disk around HD 142527 has made significant advancements in understanding magnetic fields in planet-forming regions. The study utilized ALMA observations of dust polarization at multiple wavelengths (0.87, 1.3, 2.1 and 2.7 mm) to analyze the magnetic field structure in the disk. Their analysis revealed highly polarized radio emission from dust particles, indicating the presence of a magnetic field. They also discovered subtle variations in the magnetic field's direction along the disk's rotation axis and attributed these directional changes to the magnetic field's three-dimensional structure. The estimated magnetic field strength is approximately 0.3 milligauss along the rotation direction and 0.1 milligauss in both the vertical direction and towards the central star. The team posits that this three-dimensional configuration may generate a strong turbulent field within the disk. This research marks the first successful observation of a protoplanetary disk's magnetic field structure using ALMA to detect polarized light from dust particles, which are the building blocks of planets.