Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event

M. Nicholl; D. R. Pasham; A. Mummery; M. Guolo; K. Gendreau; G. C. Dewangan; E. C. Ferrara; R. Remillard; C. Bonnerot; J. Chakraborty; A. Hajela; V. S. Dhillon; A. F. Gillan; J. Greenwood; M. E. Huber; A. Janiuk; G. Salvesen; S. van Velzen; A. Aamer; K. D. Alexander; C. R. Angus; Z. Arzoumanian; Katie Auchettl; E. Berger; T. de Boer; Y. Cendes; K. C. Chambers; T.-W. Chen; R. Chornock; M. D. Fulton; H. Gao; J. H. Gillanders; S. Gomez; B. P. Gompertz; A. C. Fabian; J. Herman; A. Ingram; E. Kara; T. Laskar; A. Lawrence; C.-C. Lin; T. B. Lowe; E. A. Magnier; R. Margutti; S. L. McGee; P. Minguez; T. Moore; E. Nathan; S. R. Oates; K. C. Patra; P. Ramsden; V. Ravi; E. J. Ridley; X. Sheng; S. J. Smartt; K. W. Smith; Shubham Srivastav; R. Stein; H. F. Stevance; S. G. D. Turner; R. J. Wainscoat; J. Weston; T. Wevers; D. R. Young

doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6

Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event

M. Nicholl^*, D. R. Pasham, A. Mummery, M. Guolo, K. Gendreau, G. C. Dewangan, E. C. Ferrara, R. Remillard, C. Bonnerot, J. Chakraborty, A. Hajela, V. S. Dhillon, A. F. Gillan, J. Greenwood, M. E. Huber, A. Janiuk, G. Salvesen, S. van Velzen, A. Aamer, K. D. AlexanderC. R. Angus, Z. Arzoumanian, Katie Auchettl, E. Berger, T. de Boer, Y. Cendes, K. C. Chambers, T.-W. Chen, R. Chornock, M. D. Fulton, H. Gao, J. H. Gillanders, S. Gomez, B. P. Gompertz, A. C. Fabian, J. Herman, A. Ingram, E. Kara, T. Laskar, A. Lawrence, C.-C. Lin, T. B. Lowe, E. A. Magnier, R. Margutti, S. L. McGee, P. Minguez, T. Moore, E. Nathan, S. R. Oates, K. C. Patra, P. Ramsden, V. Ravi, E. J. Ridley, X. Sheng, S. J. Smartt, K. W. Smith, Shubham Srivastav, R. Stein, H. F. Stevance, S. G. D. Turner, R. J. Wainscoat, J. Weston, T. Wevers, D. R. Young

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics and Astronomy

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Abstract

Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are luminous bursts of soft X-rays from the nuclei of galaxies, repeating on timescales of hours to weeks1–5. The mechanism behind these rare systems is uncertain, but most theories involve accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBHs) undergoing instabilities6–8 or interacting with a stellar object in a close orbit9–11. It has been suggested that this disk could be created when the SMBH disrupts a passing star8, 11, implying that many QPEs should be preceded by observable tidal disruption events (TDEs). Two known QPE sources show long-term decays in quiescent luminosity consistent with TDEs4, 12 and two observed TDEs have exhibited X-ray flares consistent with individual eruptions13, 14. TDEs and QPEs also occur preferentially in similar galaxies15. However, no confirmed repeating QPEs have been associated with a spectroscopically confirmed TDE or an optical TDE observed at peak brightness. Here we report the detection of nine X-ray QPEs with a mean recurrence time of approximately 48 h from AT2019qiz, a nearby and extensively studied optically selected TDE16. We detect and model the X-ray, ultraviolet (UV) and optical emission from the accretion disk and show that an orbiting body colliding with this disk provides a plausible explanation for the QPEs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	804-808
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature
Volume	634
Issue number	8035
Early online date	9 Oct 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6
Publication status	Published - 24 Oct 2024

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Nicholl, M., Pasham, D. R., Mummery, A., Guolo, M., Gendreau, K., Dewangan, G. C., Ferrara, E. C., Remillard, R., Bonnerot, C., Chakraborty, J., Hajela, A., Dhillon, V. S., Gillan, A. F., Greenwood, J., Huber, M. E., Janiuk, A., Salvesen, G., van Velzen, S., Aamer, A., ... Young, D. R. (2024). Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event. Nature, 634(8035), 804-808. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6

@article{5b3738616db34921967762247396cfab,

title = "Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event",

abstract = "Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are luminous bursts of soft X-rays from the nuclei of galaxies, repeating on timescales of hours to weeks1–5. The mechanism behind these rare systems is uncertain, but most theories involve accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBHs) undergoing instabilities6–8 or interacting with a stellar object in a close orbit9–11. It has been suggested that this disk could be created when the SMBH disrupts a passing star8, 11, implying that many QPEs should be preceded by observable tidal disruption events (TDEs). Two known QPE sources show long-term decays in quiescent luminosity consistent with TDEs4, 12 and two observed TDEs have exhibited X-ray flares consistent with individual eruptions13, 14. TDEs and QPEs also occur preferentially in similar galaxies15. However, no confirmed repeating QPEs have been associated with a spectroscopically confirmed TDE or an optical TDE observed at peak brightness. Here we report the detection of nine X-ray QPEs with a mean recurrence time of approximately 48 h from AT2019qiz, a nearby and extensively studied optically selected TDE16. We detect and model the X-ray, ultraviolet (UV) and optical emission from the accretion disk and show that an orbiting body colliding with this disk provides a plausible explanation for the QPEs.",

author = "M. Nicholl and Pasham, \{D. R.\} and A. Mummery and M. Guolo and K. Gendreau and Dewangan, \{G. C.\} and Ferrara, \{E. C.\} and R. Remillard and C. Bonnerot and J. Chakraborty and A. Hajela and Dhillon, \{V. S.\} and Gillan, \{A. F.\} and J. Greenwood and Huber, \{M. E.\} and A. Janiuk and G. Salvesen and \{van Velzen\}, S. and A. Aamer and Alexander, \{K. D.\} and Angus, \{C. R.\} and Z. Arzoumanian and Katie Auchettl and E. Berger and \{de Boer\}, T. and Y. Cendes and Chambers, \{K. C.\} and T.-W. Chen and R. Chornock and Fulton, \{M. D.\} and H. Gao and Gillanders, \{J. H.\} and S. Gomez and Gompertz, \{B. P.\} and Fabian, \{A. C.\} and J. Herman and A. Ingram and E. Kara and T. Laskar and A. Lawrence and C.-C. Lin and Lowe, \{T. B.\} and Magnier, \{E. A.\} and R. Margutti and McGee, \{S. L.\} and P. Minguez and T. Moore and E. Nathan and Oates, \{S. R.\} and Patra, \{K. C.\} and P. Ramsden and V. Ravi and Ridley, \{E. J.\} and X. Sheng and Smartt, \{S. J.\} and Smith, \{K. W.\} and Shubham Srivastav and R. Stein and Stevance, \{H. F.\} and Turner, \{S. G. D.\} and Wainscoat, \{R. J.\} and J. Weston and T. Wevers and Young, \{D. R.\}",

year = "2024",

month = oct,

day = "24",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6",

language = "English",

volume = "634",

pages = "804--808",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "8035",

}

Nicholl, M, Pasham, DR, Mummery, A, Guolo, M, Gendreau, K, Dewangan, GC, Ferrara, EC, Remillard, R, Bonnerot, C, Chakraborty, J, Hajela, A, Dhillon, VS, Gillan, AF, Greenwood, J, Huber, ME, Janiuk, A, Salvesen, G, van Velzen, S, Aamer, A, Alexander, KD, Angus, CR, Arzoumanian, Z, Auchettl, K, Berger, E, de Boer, T, Cendes, Y, Chambers, KC, Chen, T-W, Chornock, R, Fulton, MD, Gao, H, Gillanders, JH, Gomez, S, Gompertz, BP, Fabian, AC, Herman, J, Ingram, A, Kara, E, Laskar, T, Lawrence, A, Lin, C-C, Lowe, TB, Magnier, EA, Margutti, R, McGee, SL, Minguez, P, Moore, T, Nathan, E, Oates, SR, Patra, KC, Ramsden, P, Ravi, V, Ridley, EJ, Sheng, X, Smartt, SJ, Smith, KW, Srivastav, S, Stein, R, Stevance, HF, Turner, SGD, Wainscoat, RJ, Weston, J, Wevers, T & Young, DR 2024, 'Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event', Nature, vol. 634, no. 8035, pp. 804-808. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6

TY - JOUR

T1 - Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event

AU - Nicholl, M.

AU - Pasham, D. R.

AU - Mummery, A.

AU - Guolo, M.

AU - Gendreau, K.

AU - Dewangan, G. C.

AU - Ferrara, E. C.

AU - Remillard, R.

AU - Bonnerot, C.

AU - Chakraborty, J.

AU - Hajela, A.

AU - Dhillon, V. S.

AU - Gillan, A. F.

AU - Greenwood, J.

AU - Huber, M. E.

AU - Janiuk, A.

AU - Salvesen, G.

AU - van Velzen, S.

AU - Aamer, A.

AU - Alexander, K. D.

AU - Angus, C. R.

AU - Arzoumanian, Z.

AU - Auchettl, Katie

AU - Berger, E.

AU - de Boer, T.

AU - Cendes, Y.

AU - Chambers, K. C.

AU - Chen, T.-W.

AU - Chornock, R.

AU - Fulton, M. D.

AU - Gao, H.

AU - Gillanders, J. H.

AU - Gomez, S.

AU - Gompertz, B. P.

AU - Fabian, A. C.

AU - Herman, J.

AU - Ingram, A.

AU - Kara, E.

AU - Laskar, T.

AU - Lawrence, A.

AU - Lin, C.-C.

AU - Lowe, T. B.

AU - Magnier, E. A.

AU - Margutti, R.

AU - McGee, S. L.

AU - Minguez, P.

AU - Moore, T.

AU - Nathan, E.

AU - Oates, S. R.

AU - Patra, K. C.

AU - Ramsden, P.

AU - Ravi, V.

AU - Ridley, E. J.

AU - Sheng, X.

AU - Smartt, S. J.

AU - Smith, K. W.

AU - Srivastav, Shubham

AU - Stein, R.

AU - Stevance, H. F.

AU - Turner, S. G. D.

AU - Wainscoat, R. J.

AU - Weston, J.

AU - Wevers, T.

AU - Young, D. R.

PY - 2024/10/24

Y1 - 2024/10/24

N2 - Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are luminous bursts of soft X-rays from the nuclei of galaxies, repeating on timescales of hours to weeks1–5. The mechanism behind these rare systems is uncertain, but most theories involve accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBHs) undergoing instabilities6–8 or interacting with a stellar object in a close orbit9–11. It has been suggested that this disk could be created when the SMBH disrupts a passing star8, 11, implying that many QPEs should be preceded by observable tidal disruption events (TDEs). Two known QPE sources show long-term decays in quiescent luminosity consistent with TDEs4, 12 and two observed TDEs have exhibited X-ray flares consistent with individual eruptions13, 14. TDEs and QPEs also occur preferentially in similar galaxies15. However, no confirmed repeating QPEs have been associated with a spectroscopically confirmed TDE or an optical TDE observed at peak brightness. Here we report the detection of nine X-ray QPEs with a mean recurrence time of approximately 48 h from AT2019qiz, a nearby and extensively studied optically selected TDE16. We detect and model the X-ray, ultraviolet (UV) and optical emission from the accretion disk and show that an orbiting body colliding with this disk provides a plausible explanation for the QPEs.

AB - Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are luminous bursts of soft X-rays from the nuclei of galaxies, repeating on timescales of hours to weeks1–5. The mechanism behind these rare systems is uncertain, but most theories involve accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBHs) undergoing instabilities6–8 or interacting with a stellar object in a close orbit9–11. It has been suggested that this disk could be created when the SMBH disrupts a passing star8, 11, implying that many QPEs should be preceded by observable tidal disruption events (TDEs). Two known QPE sources show long-term decays in quiescent luminosity consistent with TDEs4, 12 and two observed TDEs have exhibited X-ray flares consistent with individual eruptions13, 14. TDEs and QPEs also occur preferentially in similar galaxies15. However, no confirmed repeating QPEs have been associated with a spectroscopically confirmed TDE or an optical TDE observed at peak brightness. Here we report the detection of nine X-ray QPEs with a mean recurrence time of approximately 48 h from AT2019qiz, a nearby and extensively studied optically selected TDE16. We detect and model the X-ray, ultraviolet (UV) and optical emission from the accretion disk and show that an orbiting body colliding with this disk provides a plausible explanation for the QPEs.

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6

DO - 10.1038/s41586-024-08023-6

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 634

SP - 804

EP - 808

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 8035

ER -

Quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions years after a nearby tidal disruption event

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