Planck observations show maximum dust polarization fraction p_max ≈ 20% (significantly higher than earlier predictions), implying high grain alignment + magnetic-field order. Polarization fraction drops with column density (polarization holes). Standard Radiative Torque Alignment (RAT) theory struggles to explain the depolarization without invoking magnetic-field tangling or unconstrained grain physics changes (Planck 2015; Ritacco 2025).
The standard model has dust polarization from RAT-aligned grains in standard turbulent magnetic fields. Recovering both high p_max + steep depolarization in dense clouds demands either tuned grain alignment efficiency or modified magnetic-field topology. Neither is parsimonious without independent observational support.
SCT replaces the hot-dense-center with a superluminal collision and the thermalized debris field. From this single change, dust polarization fraction variations come from cascade-dust diversity inherited from prior cycles plus cascade-magnetic-field topology signatures. Pre-existing matter (P25, P28) supplies dust populations with chemical and structural diversity beyond standard hierarchical-galaxy formation; cascade-thermalized dust may have inherited structural properties (grain shape, composition) that affect alignment efficiency.
Angular-momentum inheritance (P31, P32) gives the magnetic-field topology its J-aligned coherent component (cross-link recid 203 synchrotron depolarization), naturally producing the high p_max signal in regions where the cascade-stream J coherence is strong. Cascade-seeded SMBH (P46) historically drove magnetic-field amplification in the Galactic + Local Group context, contributing to the inherited B-field topology.
The polarization holes in dense clouds reflect the local cascade-debris dust + magnetic-field structure within the dense regions, where additional small-scale tangling from in-cycle dynamics depolarizes the inherited coherent signal. Gravitational superposition (P50, P51, P52) provides the cosmic-web context for dust populations. The same M11 framework that resolves the synchrotron depolarization (recid 203), CO contamination (recid 197), Galactic plane emission residuals (recid 202), and the broader cascade-population phenomenology accounts for dust polarization fraction variations.
If precision LiteBIRD + CMB-S4 + future polarization surveys find dust polarization fully consistent with standard RAT + turbulent-magnetic-field predictions at the 5% level (no inherited cascade-dust + cascade-magnetic-topology signature), the M11 explanation is refuted. The signature SCT prediction is high p_max correlated with cascade-stream-J coherence + polarization-hole patterns matching cascade-debris-dust + B-field structure.