scholarly journals The Tidal Disruption Event AT 2018hyz II: Light-curve modelling of a partially disrupted star

2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (2) ◽  
pp. 1925-1934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Gomez ◽  
Matt Nicholl ◽  
Philip Short ◽  
Raffaella Margutti ◽  
Kate D Alexander ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT AT 2018hyz (= ASASSN-18zj) is a tidal disruption event (TDE) located in the nucleus of a quiescent E+A galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.04573, first detected by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN). We present optical+UV photometry of the transient, as well as an X-ray spectrum and radio upper limits. The bolometric light curve of AT 2018hyz is comparable to other known TDEs and declines at a rate consistent with a t−5/3 at early times, emitting a total radiated energy of E = 9 × 1050 erg. An excess bump appears in the UV light curve about 50 d after bolometric peak, followed by a flattening beyond 250 d. We detect a constant X-ray source present for at least 86 d. The X-ray spectrum shows a total unabsorbed flux of ∼4 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1 and is best fit by a blackbody plus power-law model with a photon index of Γ = 0.8. A thermal X-ray model is unable to account for photons >1 keV, while a radio non-detection favours inverse-Compton scattering rather than a jet for the non-thermal component. We model the optical and UV light curves using the Modular Open-Source Fitter for Transients (MOSFiT) and find a best fit for a black hole of 5.2 × 106 M⊙ disrupting a 0.1 M⊙ star; the model suggests the star was likely only partially disrupted, based on the derived impact parameter of β = 0.6. The low optical depth implied by the small debris mass may explain how we are able to see hydrogen emission with disc-like line profiles in the spectra of AT 2018hyz (see our companion paper).

2020 ◽  
Vol 499 (1) ◽  
pp. 482-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Nicholl ◽  
T Wevers ◽  
S R Oates ◽  
K D Alexander ◽  
G Leloudas ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT At 66 Mpc, AT2019qiz is the closest optical tidal disruption event (TDE) to date, with a luminosity intermediate between the bulk of the population and the faint-and-fast event iPTF16fnl. Its proximity allowed a very early detection and triggering of multiwavelength and spectroscopic follow-up well before maximum light. The velocity dispersion of the host galaxy and fits to the TDE light curve indicate a black hole mass ≈106 M⊙, disrupting a star of ≈1 M⊙. By analysing our comprehensive UV, optical, and X-ray data, we show that the early optical emission is dominated by an outflow, with a luminosity evolution L ∝ t2, consistent with a photosphere expanding at constant velocity (≳2000 km s−1), and a line-forming region producing initially blueshifted H and He ii profiles with v = 3000–10 000 km s−1. The fastest optical ejecta approach the velocity inferred from radio detections (modelled in a forthcoming companion paper from K. D. Alexander et al.), thus the same outflow may be responsible for both the fast optical rise and the radio emission – the first time this connection has been observed in a TDE. The light-curve rise begins 29 ± 2 d before maximum light, peaking when the photosphere reaches the radius where optical photons can escape. The photosphere then undergoes a sudden transition, first cooling at constant radius then contracting at constant temperature. At the same time, the blueshifts disappear from the spectrum and Bowen fluorescence lines (N iii) become prominent, implying a source of far-UV photons, while the X-ray light curve peaks at ≈1041 erg s−1. Assuming that these X-rays are from prompt accretion, the size and mass of the outflow are consistent with the reprocessing layer needed to explain the large optical to X-ray ratio in this and other optical TDEs, possibly favouring accretion-powered over collision-powered outflow models.


2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (4) ◽  
pp. 4816-4830 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Wevers ◽  
D R Pasham ◽  
S van Velzen ◽  
G Leloudas ◽  
S Schulze ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We present optical spectroscopic and Swift UVOT/XRT observations of the X-ray and UV/optical bright tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate AT 2018fyk/ASASSN–18ul discovered by ASAS–SN. The Swift light curve is atypical for a TDE, entering a plateau after ∼40 d of decline from peak. After 80 d the UV/optical light curve breaks again to decline further, while the X-ray emission becomes brighter and harder. In addition to broad H, He, and potentially O/Fe lines, narrow emission lines emerge in the optical spectra during the plateau phase. We identify both high-ionization (O iii) and low-ionization (Fe ii) lines, which are visible for ∼45 d. We similarly identify Fe ii lines in optical spectra of ASASSN–15oi 330 d after discovery, indicating that a class of Fe-rich TDEs exists. The spectral similarity between AT 2018fyk, narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, and some extreme coronal line emitters suggests that TDEs are capable of creating similar physical conditions in the nuclei of galaxies. The Fe ii lines can be associated with the formation of a compact accretion disc, as the emergence of low-ionization emission lines requires optically thick, high-density gas. Taken together with the plateau in X-ray and UV/optical luminosity this indicates that emission from the central source is efficiently reprocessed into UV/optical wavelengths. Such a two-component light curve is very similar to that seen in the TDE candidate ASASSN–15lh, and is a natural consequence of a relativistic orbital pericentre.


2018 ◽  
Vol 619 ◽  
pp. A138
Author(s):  
V. Perdelwitz ◽  
S. Czesla ◽  
J. Robrade ◽  
T. Pribulla ◽  
J. H. M. M. Schmitt

Context.Close binary systems provide an excellent tool for determining stellar parameters such as radii and masses with a high degree of precision. Due to the high rotational velocities, most of these systems exhibit strong signs of magnetic activity, postulated to be the underlying reason for radius inflation in many of the components. Aims.We extend the sample of low-mass binary systems with well-known X-ray properties. Methods.We analyze data from a singular XMM-Newton pointing of the close, low-mass eclipsing binary system BX Tri. The UV light curve was modeled with the eclipsing binary modeling tool PHOEBE and data acquired with the EPIC cameras was analyzed to search for hints of orbital modulation. Results.We find clear evidence of orbital modulation in the UV light curve and show that PHOEBE is fully capable of modeling data within this wavelength range. Comparison to a theoretical flux prediction based on PHOENIX models shows that the majority of UV emission is of photospheric origin. While the X-ray light curve does exhibit strong variations, the signal-to-noise ratio of the observation is insufficient for a clear detection of signs of orbital modulation. There is evidence of a Neupert-like correlation between UV and X-ray data.


2021 ◽  
Vol 921 (2) ◽  
pp. L40
Author(s):  
Joheen Chakraborty ◽  
Erin Kara ◽  
Megan Masterson ◽  
Margherita Giustini ◽  
Giovanni Miniutti ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 475 (3) ◽  
pp. 4011-4019 ◽  
Author(s):  
J S Bright ◽  
R P Fender ◽  
S E Motta ◽  
K Mooley ◽  
Y C Perrott ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 492 (2) ◽  
pp. 1634-1640
Author(s):  
Sudip Chakraborty ◽  
Sudip Bhattacharyya ◽  
Chandrachur Chakraborty ◽  
A R Rao

ABSTRACT An estimate of the jet inclination angle relative to the accreting black hole’s spin can be useful to probe the jet triggering mechanism and the disc–jet coupling. A tidal disruption event (TDE) of a star by a supermassive spinning black hole provides an excellent astrophysical laboratory to study the jet direction through the possibility of jet precession. In this work, we report a new method to constrain the jet inclination angle β and apply it to the well-sampled jetted TDE Swift J1644+57. This method involves X-ray data analysis and comparisons of jet models with broad properties of the observed X-ray dips, to estimate the upper limit of the extent of the contribution of a plausible jet precession to these X-ray dips. From this limit, we find that β is very likely to be less than ∼15° for Swift J1644+57. Such a well-constrained jet inclination angle could be useful to probe the jet physics. The main advantage of our method is that it does not need to assume an origin of the observed X-ray dips, and the conclusion does not depend on any particular type of jet precession (e.g. the one due to the Lense–Thirring effect) or any specific value of precession frequency or any particular jet model. These make this method reliable and applicable to other jetted TDEs, as well as to other jetted accreting systems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 622 ◽  
pp. L2 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gromadzki ◽  
A. Hamanowicz ◽  
L. Wyrzykowski ◽  
K. V. Sokolovsky ◽  
M. Fraser ◽  
...  

Aims. We report on the discovery and follow-up of a peculiar transient, OGLE17aaj, which occurred in the nucleus of a weakly active galaxy. We investigate whether it can be interpreted as a new candidate for a tidal disruption event (TDE). Methods. We present the OGLE-IV light curve that covers the slow 60-day-long rise to maximum along with photometric, spectroscopic, and X-ray follow-up during the first year. Results. OGLE17aaj is a nuclear transient exhibiting some properties similar to previously found TDEs, including a long rise time, lack of colour-temperature evolution, and high black-body temperature. On the other hand, its narrow emission lines and slow post-peak evolution are different from previously observed TDEs. Its spectrum and light-curve evolution is similar to F01004-2237 and AT 2017bgt. Signatures of historical low-level nuclear variability suggest that OGLE17aaj may instead be related to a new type of accretion event in active super-massive black holes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (2) ◽  
pp. 2538-2560 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M M Neustadt ◽  
T W-S Holoien ◽  
C S Kochanek ◽  
K Auchettl ◽  
J S Brown ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We present the discovery of ASASSN-18jd (AT 2018bcb), a luminous optical/ultraviolet(UV)/X-ray transient located in the nucleus of the galaxy 2MASX J22434289–1659083 at z = 0.1192. Over the year after discovery, Swift UltraViolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT) photometry shows the UV spectral energy distribution of the transient to be well modelled by a slowly shrinking blackbody with temperature $T \sim 2.5 \times 10^{4} \, {\rm K}$, a maximum observed luminosity of $L_{\rm max} = 4.5^{+0.6}_{-0.3}\times 10^{44} \, {\rm erg \,s}^{-1}$, and a radiated energy of $E = 9.6^{+1.1}_{-0.6} \times 10^{51} \, {\rm erg}$. X-ray data from Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT) and XMM–Newton show a transient, variable X-ray flux with blackbody and power-law components that fade by nearly an order of magnitude over the following year. Optical spectra show strong, roughly constant broad Balmer emission and transient features attributable to He ii, N iii–v, O iii, and coronal Fe. While ASASSN-18jd shares similarities with tidal disruption events (TDEs), it is also similar to the newly discovered nuclear transients seen in quiescent galaxies and faint active galactic nuclei (AGNs).


2012 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 02002 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.D. Saxton ◽  
A.M. Read ◽  
S. Komossa ◽  
P. Esquej

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