Polarization analysis of the protoplanetary disk around HD 163296 limits dark matter candidates

The protoplanetary disk—a rotating ring of gas and dust forming planets—surrounding the star HD 163296 has been analyzed to search for signs of Axion-like particles. These theoretical particles are proposed candidates for ultralight dark matter, which could interact with light by causing birefringence, a phenomenon that rotates the polarization angle of light as it travels through space.

By examining six sets of archival near-infrared polarized images taken over multiple time periods, the consistency of the light's polarization angle was measured. The results showed that the polarization angle remained constant within the expected margins of error over timescales of approximately 170 to 400 days.

The analysis accounted for multiple light scattering within the thick dust of the disk, which can naturally blur polarization measurements. By finding no evidence of rotation caused by dark matter, these observations establish new upper limits on how strongly these Axion-like particles might interact with photons.

Future observations aiming for significantly higher precision in polarization measurements could turn these disks into powerful tools for detecting signatures of dark matter.

Key findings
- The polarization angle of light from the disk around HD 163296 remained stable over 170 to 400 days.
- New upper limits were established for the coupling strength between Axion-like particles and photons.
- Observations were limited by a polarization measurement uncertainty of 1.6 to 6.4 degrees.
- Reducing measurement uncertainty to 0.1 degrees would provide world-leading sensitivity to dark matter detection.

Scientific study

Searching for Axion-like particle Dark Matter with Time-domain Polarization: Constraints from a protoplanetary disk (external link)