HD142527 SPHERE polarimetric images

We measure a reflected total intensity of 51.4+/-1.5mJy and 206+/-12mJy and a polarized intensity of 11.3+/-0.3mJy and 55.1+/-3.3mJy in the VBB and H-band, respectively. We also find in the visual range a degree of polarization that varies between 28% on the far side of the disk and 17% on the near side. In the H-band, the degree of polarization is consistently higher by about a factor of 1.2.

The disk also shows a red color for the scattered light intensity and the polarized intensity, which are about twice as high in the near-infrared when compared to the visual. We determine with model calculations the scattering properties of the dust particles and find evidence for strong forward scattering (g {prop.to} 0.5-0.75), relatively low single-scattering albedo ({omega} {prop.to} 0.2-0.5), and high maximum polarization (Pmax {prop.to} 0.5-0.75) at the surface on the far side of the disk for both observed wavelengths.

The optical parameters indicate the presence of large aggregate dust particles, which are necessary to explain the high maximum polarization, the strong forward-scattering nature of the dust, and the observed red disk color.