A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties
Most tidal disruption events (TDEs) are currently found in time-domain optical and soft X-ray surveys, both of which are prone to significant obscuration. The infrared (IR), however, is a powerful probe of dust-enshrouded environments; hence, we recently performed a systematic search of NEOWISE mid-...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad18bb |
| _version_ | 1797340348849061888 |
|---|---|
| author | Megan Masterson Kishalay De Christos Panagiotou Erin Kara Iair Arcavi Anna-Christina Eilers Danielle Frostig Suvi Gezari Iuliia Grotova Zhu Liu Adam Malyali Aaron M. Meisner Andrea Merloni Megan Newsome Arne Rau Robert A. Simcoe Sjoert van Velzen |
| author_facet | Megan Masterson Kishalay De Christos Panagiotou Erin Kara Iair Arcavi Anna-Christina Eilers Danielle Frostig Suvi Gezari Iuliia Grotova Zhu Liu Adam Malyali Aaron M. Meisner Andrea Merloni Megan Newsome Arne Rau Robert A. Simcoe Sjoert van Velzen |
| author_sort | Megan Masterson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most tidal disruption events (TDEs) are currently found in time-domain optical and soft X-ray surveys, both of which are prone to significant obscuration. The infrared (IR), however, is a powerful probe of dust-enshrouded environments; hence, we recently performed a systematic search of NEOWISE mid-IR data for nearby, obscured TDEs within roughly 200 Mpc. We identified 18 TDE candidates in galactic nuclei, using difference imaging to uncover nuclear variability among significant host galaxy emission. These candidates were selected based on the following IR light-curve properties: (1) L _W2 ≳ 10 ^42 erg s ^−1 at peak; (2) fast rise, followed by a slow, monotonic decline; (3) no significant prior variability; and (4) no evidence for active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) colors. The majority of these sources showed no variable optical counterpart, suggesting that optical surveys indeed miss numerous obscured TDEs. Using narrow-line ionization levels and variability arguments, we identified six sources as possible underlying AGN, yielding a total of 12 TDEs in our gold sample. This gold sample yields a lower limit on the IR-selected TDE rate of (2.0 ± 0.3) × 10 ^−5 galaxy ^−1 yr ^−1 ((1.3 ± 0.2) × 10 ^−7 Mpc ^−3 yr ^−1 ), which is comparable to optical and X-ray TDE rates. The IR-selected TDE host galaxies do not show a green valley overdensity nor as a preference for quiescent, Balmer strong galaxies, which are both overrepresented in optical and X-ray TDE samples. This IR-selected sample represents a new population of dusty TDEs that have historically been missed by optical and X-ray surveys and helps alleviate tensions between observed and theoretical TDE rates and the so-called missing energy problem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:01:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63c468f3dc5e421fb3bcbf44a4530a30 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:01:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-63c468f3dc5e421fb3bcbf44a4530a302024-01-29T10:27:12ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-01961221110.3847/1538-4357/ad18bbA New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy PropertiesMegan Masterson0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4127-0739Kishalay De1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8989-0542Christos Panagiotou2Erin Kara3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0172-0854Iair Arcavi4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7090-4898Anna-Christina Eilers5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2895-6218Danielle Frostig6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7197-9004Suvi Gezari7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3703-5154Iuliia Grotova8Zhu Liu9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3014-8762Adam Malyali10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8851-4019Aaron M. Meisner11https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1125-7384Andrea Merloni12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0761-0130Megan Newsome13https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9570-0584Arne Rau14https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5990-6243Robert A. Simcoe15https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3769-9559Sjoert van Velzen16https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3859-8074MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduMIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduMIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduMIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv 69978, IsraelMIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduMIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USAMax-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik , Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, GermanyMax-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik , Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, GermanyMax-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik , Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, GermanyNSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory , 950 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, USAMax-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik , Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, GermanyLas Cumbres Observatory , 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Goleta, CA 93117-5575, USA; Department of Physics, University of California , Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9530, USAMax-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik , Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85748 Garching, GermanyMIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA 02139, USA ; mmasters@mit.eduLeiden Observatory, Leiden University , PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The NetherlandsMost tidal disruption events (TDEs) are currently found in time-domain optical and soft X-ray surveys, both of which are prone to significant obscuration. The infrared (IR), however, is a powerful probe of dust-enshrouded environments; hence, we recently performed a systematic search of NEOWISE mid-IR data for nearby, obscured TDEs within roughly 200 Mpc. We identified 18 TDE candidates in galactic nuclei, using difference imaging to uncover nuclear variability among significant host galaxy emission. These candidates were selected based on the following IR light-curve properties: (1) L _W2 ≳ 10 ^42 erg s ^−1 at peak; (2) fast rise, followed by a slow, monotonic decline; (3) no significant prior variability; and (4) no evidence for active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) colors. The majority of these sources showed no variable optical counterpart, suggesting that optical surveys indeed miss numerous obscured TDEs. Using narrow-line ionization levels and variability arguments, we identified six sources as possible underlying AGN, yielding a total of 12 TDEs in our gold sample. This gold sample yields a lower limit on the IR-selected TDE rate of (2.0 ± 0.3) × 10 ^−5 galaxy ^−1 yr ^−1 ((1.3 ± 0.2) × 10 ^−7 Mpc ^−3 yr ^−1 ), which is comparable to optical and X-ray TDE rates. The IR-selected TDE host galaxies do not show a green valley overdensity nor as a preference for quiescent, Balmer strong galaxies, which are both overrepresented in optical and X-ray TDE samples. This IR-selected sample represents a new population of dusty TDEs that have historically been missed by optical and X-ray surveys and helps alleviate tensions between observed and theoretical TDE rates and the so-called missing energy problem.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad18bbSupermassive black holesAccretionTransient sourcesTime domain astronomyTidal disruption |
| spellingShingle | Megan Masterson Kishalay De Christos Panagiotou Erin Kara Iair Arcavi Anna-Christina Eilers Danielle Frostig Suvi Gezari Iuliia Grotova Zhu Liu Adam Malyali Aaron M. Meisner Andrea Merloni Megan Newsome Arne Rau Robert A. Simcoe Sjoert van Velzen A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties The Astrophysical Journal Supermassive black holes Accretion Transient sources Time domain astronomy Tidal disruption |
| title | A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties |
| title_full | A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties |
| title_fullStr | A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties |
| title_short | A New Population of Mid-infrared-selected Tidal Disruption Events: Implications for Tidal Disruption Event Rates and Host Galaxy Properties |
| title_sort | new population of mid infrared selected tidal disruption events implications for tidal disruption event rates and host galaxy properties |
| topic | Supermassive black holes Accretion Transient sources Time domain astronomy Tidal disruption |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad18bb |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT meganmasterson anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT kishalayde anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT christospanagiotou anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT erinkara anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT iairarcavi anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT annachristinaeilers anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT daniellefrostig anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT suvigezari anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT iuliiagrotova anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT zhuliu anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT adammalyali anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT aaronmmeisner anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT andreamerloni anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT megannewsome anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT arnerau anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT robertasimcoe anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT sjoertvanvelzen anewpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT meganmasterson newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT kishalayde newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT christospanagiotou newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT erinkara newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT iairarcavi newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT annachristinaeilers newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT daniellefrostig newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT suvigezari newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT iuliiagrotova newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT zhuliu newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT adammalyali newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT aaronmmeisner newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT andreamerloni newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT megannewsome newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT arnerau newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT robertasimcoe newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties AT sjoertvanvelzen newpopulationofmidinfraredselectedtidaldisruptioneventsimplicationsfortidaldisruptioneventratesandhostgalaxyproperties |