• X-ray Quasi-periodic Eruptions driven by Star-Disc Collisions : Application to GSN069 and Probing the Spin of Massive Black Holes

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are discovered recently in active galaxies with unknown driven mechanism. Under the assumption that QPEs are caused by star-disc collisions, we adopt full relativistic method and show that both the orbital parameters of the star and also the mass and spinning of the massive black hole (MBH) can be revealed by using the time of arrival (TOA) of the QPEs. By applying the model to the observed QPEs of GSN069, we find that the star is in a near-circular orbit ( $e_\bullet=0.05^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$) with semimajor axis of $\sim 365^{+54}_{-49}r_{\rm g}$ around a MBH with $M_\bullet=3.0^{+0.9}_{-0.6} \times10^5M_\odot$. The alternative short and long recurring time of the QPEs of GSN069 can be well explained by the small eccentricity and the orbital precession of the star. We find that the QPEs of GSN069 are possibly driven by a striped stellar core colliding with accretion disc after partial tidal disruption event around the MBH. For GSN069-like galaxies, if continuous X-ray monitoring of QPE events can be accumulated with uncertainties of TOA $\lesssim 100-150$s, the spin of massive black hole can be constrained by fitting to QPEs. Our results show that the timing of QPEs can provide a unique probe for measuring the spinning of MBH and tests of no-hair theorem.

  • Transient radio emission from low-redshift galaxies at z<0.3 revealed by VLASS and FIRST surveys

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present the discovery of a sample of 18 low-redshift (z5) in the epoch I (2017-2019) observations of Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS). All the 18 galaxies have been detected in the epoch II VLASS observations in 2020-2021, for which the radio flux is found to evolve slowly (by a factor of ~40%) over a period of about three years. 15 galaxies have been observed in the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey, and a flat or inverted spectral slope between 888 MHz and 3 GHz is found. Based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra taken before the radio brightening, 14 out of 18 can be classified to be LINERs or normal galaxies with weak or no nuclear activity. Most galaxies are red and massive, with more than half having central black hole masses above 10^8Msun. We find that only one galaxy in our sample displays optical flare lasting for at least two months, and a long decay in the infrared light curve that can be explained as the dust-heated echo emission of central optical flare, such as a stellar tidal disruption event. We discuss several possibilities for the transient radio emission and conclude that it is likely associated with a new-born radio jet triggered by short sporadic fueling of supermassive black hole. Such a scenario can be tested with further multi-frequency radio observations of these sources through measuring their radio flux variability and spectral evolution.

  • Discovery of ATLAS17jrp as an Optical, X-ray and Infrared Bright TDE in a Star-forming Galaxy

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We hereby report the discovery of ATLAS17jrp as an extraordinary TDE in star-forming galaxy SDSSJ162034.99+240726.5 in our recent sample of mid-infrared outbursts in nearby galaxies. Its optical/UV light curves rise to a peak luminosity $\sim1.06\times10^{44}\rm\,erg\,s^{-1}$ in about a month and then decay as $\rm t^{-5/3}$ with a roughly constant temperature around 19000~K, and the optical spectra show a blue continuum and very broad Balmer lines with FWHM$\sim$15000 km/s which gradually narrowed to 1400 km/s within 4 years, all agreeing well with other optical TDEs. A delayed and rapidly rising X-ray flare with a peak luminosity $\rm \sim 1.27\times10^{43}\,erg\,s^{-1}$ was detected at $\rm \sim$ 170 days after the optical peak. The high MIR luminosity of ATLAS17jrp ($\sim2\times10^{43} \rm\,erg\,s^{-1}$) has revealed a distinctive dusty environment with covering factor as high as $\sim0.2$, that is comparable with that of torus in active galactic nuclei but at least one order of magnitude higher than normal optical TDEs. Therefore, ATLAS17jrp turns out to be one of the rare unambiguous TDE found in star-forming galaxies and its high dust covering factor implies that the dust extinction could play an important role in the absence of optical TDEs in star-forming galaxies.

  • X-ray view of a merging supermassive black hole binary candidate SDSSJ1430+2303: Results from the first ~200 days of observations

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Recently we discovered an unprecedented supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) candidate in the nearby Seyfert galaxy SDSS J1430+2303, which is predicted to merge within three years. X-ray spectroscopy may bring unique kinematic evidence for the last inspiraling stage, when the binary is too close to allow each of them to hold an individual broad line region. We try to confirm the unique SMBHB merger event and understand the associated high-energy processes from a comprehensive X-ray view. We observed SDSS J1430+2303 with XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, Chandra, and Swift spanning the first ~200 days since its discovery. X-ray variability, up to a factor of 7, has been detected on a timescale of a few days. The broadband spectrum from 0.2-70 keV can be well fitted with a model consisting of a power law and a relativistic reflection covered by a warm absorber. The properties of the warm absorber changed dramatically, for example, with a decrease in the line-of-sight velocity from ~0.2c to ~0.02c, between the two XMM-Newton observations separated by only 19 days, which can be naturally understood in the context of the SMBHB; although, the clumpy wind scenario cannot be completely excluded. Broad Fe Kalpha emission has been robustly detected, though its velocity shift or profile change is not yet measurable. Further longer X-ray observations are highly encouraged to detect the expected orbital motion of the binary.

  • Mid-InfraRed Outbursts in Nearby Galaxies (MIRONG). II. Optical Spectroscopic Follow-up

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Infrared echo has proven to be an effective means to discover transient accretion events of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), such as tidal disruption events (TDEs) and changing-look active galactic nuclei (AGNs), in dusty circumnuclear environments. To explore the dusty populations of SMBH transient events, we have constructed a large sample of Mid-infrared Outbursts in Nearby Galaxies (MIRONG) and performed multiwavelength observations. Here we present the results of multiepoch spectroscopic follow-up observations of a subsample of 54 objects spanning a time scale of 4 yr. Emission-line variability was detected in 22 of them with either emergence or enhancement of broad Balmer emission lines in comparison with pre-outburst spectra. Coronal lines, HeII{\lambda}4686 and Bowen line NIII{\lambda}4640 appeared in the spectra of nine,seven and two sources, respectively. These results suggest that MIRONG is a mixed bag of different transient sources. We have tentatively classified them into different subclass according to their spectral evolution and light curves. Two sources have been in a steady high broad H{\alpha} flux up to the latest observation and might be turn-on AGNs. Broad lines faded out in the remaining sources, indicating a transient ionizing source ignited by TDE or sporadic gas accretion. Thirty-one sources do not show noticeable spectral change with respect to their pre-outburst spectra. They have a statistically redder MIR color and lower MIR luminosity of the outbursts,which are consistent with heavily obscured events.