Polarimetric Evidence for Dust Structure and Porosity in 3I/ATLAS

 



Polarimetric observations provide a powerful diagnostic of dust composition and microstructure in cometary comae.
For 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1), polarization measurements offer independent constraints on dust porosity and aggregate structure.

Full text (open access):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398431066

Polarimetric measurements of 3I/ATLAS reveal a degree of linear polarization consistent with scattering by porous, irregular dust aggregates rather than compact spherical grains. Such polarization signatures are characteristic of cometary dust dominated by fractal or loosely bound particles, which efficiently scatter sunlight at small phase angles. The observed polarization behavior places 3I/ATLAS within the broader envelope of cometary dust properties observed in the Solar System.

Interpretation of the polarimetric data suggests that the dust grains in 3I/ATLAS are likely composed of low-density aggregates with significant internal void space. High porosity enhances polarization by increasing multiple scattering paths within grains and is commonly associated with primitive, minimally processed material. This supports the view that the dust of 3I/ATLAS preserves information about early-stage accretion processes in its parent protoplanetary disk.

Polarimetry complements photometric and dynamical analyses by probing dust properties that are otherwise difficult to infer remotely. For interstellar comets, such measurements provide rare insight into the microphysical nature of extrasolar solids. As observational capabilities improve, polarimetric studies will become increasingly important for distinguishing between formation environments and evolutionary pathways of interstellar dust populations.

This article examines:

  • How polarimetric measurements constrain dust microstructure
  • What polarization levels reveal about porosity and aggregation
  • Why porous dust implies primitive material
  • The role of polarimetry in interstellar comet characterization

Reference (APA 7):
Kodiyatar, N., & Shamala, A. (2025). Scientific understanding of 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1): Authentic data, observational insights, and information ethics. Nohil Kodiyatar & Abhay Shamala. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17851223

#InterstellarObjects #3IATLAS #Polarimetry #CometDust #PlanetaryScience #Astrophysics #ObservationalAstronomy #OpenScience

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