2025ApJ...991..107V

The formation of planetesimals from centimeter-sized pebbles in protoplanetary disks faces significant barriers, including fragmentation and radial drift. We identify a previously unaccounted screening force, arising from mutual shielding of thermal gas particles between pebbles when their separation falls below the gas mean free path. This force facilitates pebble binding, overcoming key growth barriers under turbulent disk conditions. Unlike conventional mechanisms, screening forces operate independently of surface adhesion and complement streaming instability and pressure traps by enhancing aggregation in high-density regions. Our analysis predicts that screening interactions are most effective in the middle disk regions (∼0.3 to a few astronomical units), consistent with Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations (e.g., TW Hya) of enhanced dust concentrations. Furthermore, we find that screening-induced pebble growth from centimeter to kilometer scales can occur on timescales significantly shorter than the disk lifetime (∼10⁵ yr). Importantly, this growth naturally terminates when particles smaller than the local gas mean free path are depleted, thereby avoiding runaway accretion. Beyond planetary science, the screening forces have potential implications for high-energy astrophysics, dusty plasmas, confined particle suspensions, and other relevant areas, suggesting a broader fundamental significance.