A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies

E. Kankare; R. Kotak; S. Mattila; P. Lundqvist; M. J. Ward; M. Fraser; A. Lawrence; S. J. Smartt; W. P. S. Meikle; A. Bruce; J. Harmanen; S. J. Hutton; C. Inserra; T. Kangas; A. Pastorello; T. Reynolds; C. Romero-Cañizales; K. W. Smith; S. Valenti; K. C. Chambers; K. W. Hodapp; M. E. Huber; N. Kaiser; R.-P. Kudritzki; E. A. Magnier; J. L. Tonry; R. J. Wainscoat; C. Waters

doi:10.1038/s41550-017-0290-2

A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies

E. Kankare, R. Kotak, S. Mattila, P. Lundqvist, M. J. Ward, M. Fraser, A. Lawrence, S. J. Smartt, W. P. S. Meikle, A. Bruce, J. Harmanen, S. J. Hutton, C. Inserra, T. Kangas, A. Pastorello, T. Reynolds, C. Romero-Cañizales, K. W. Smith, S. Valenti, K. C. ChambersK. W. Hodapp, M. E. Huber, N. Kaiser, R.-P. Kudritzki, E. A. Magnier, J. L. Tonry, R. J. Wainscoat, C. Waters

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Abstract

Recent all-sky surveys have led to the discovery of new types of transients. These include stars disrupted by the central supermassive black hole, and supernovae that are 10-100 times more energetic than typical ones. However, the nature of even more energetic transients that apparently occur in the innermost regions of their host galaxies is hotly debated1-3. Here we report the discovery of the most energetic of these to date: PS1-10adi, with a total radiated energy of 2.3 × 1052 erg. The slow evolution of its light curve and persistently narrow spectral lines over ˜ 3 yr are inconsistent with known types of recurring black hole variability. The observed properties imply powering by shock interaction between expanding material and large quantities of surrounding dense matter. Plausible sources of this expanding material are a star that has been tidally disrupted by the central black hole, or a supernova. Both could satisfy the energy budget. For the former, we would be forced to invoke a new and hitherto unseen variant of a tidally disrupted star, while a supernova origin relies principally on environmental effects resulting from its nuclear location. Remarkably, we also discover that PS1-10adi is not an isolated case. We therefore surmise that this new population of transients has previously been overlooked due to incorrect association with underlying central black hole activity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	865-871
Journal	Nature Astronomy
Volume	1
Early online date	13 Nov 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-017-0290-2
Publication status	Published - 01 Dec 2017
Externally published	Yes

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A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxiesAccepted author manuscript, 4.3 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Kankare, E., Kotak, R., Mattila, S., Lundqvist, P., Ward, M. J., Fraser, M., Lawrence, A., Smartt, S. J., Meikle, W. P. S., Bruce, A., Harmanen, J., Hutton, S. J., Inserra, C., Kangas, T., Pastorello, A., Reynolds, T., Romero-Cañizales, C., Smith, K. W., Valenti, S., ... Waters, C. (2017). A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies. Nature Astronomy, 1, 865-871. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-017-0290-2

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title = "A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies",

abstract = "Recent all-sky surveys have led to the discovery of new types of transients. These include stars disrupted by the central supermassive black hole, and supernovae that are 10-100 times more energetic than typical ones. However, the nature of even more energetic transients that apparently occur in the innermost regions of their host galaxies is hotly debated1-3. Here we report the discovery of the most energetic of these to date: PS1-10adi, with a total radiated energy of 2.3 × 1052 erg. The slow evolution of its light curve and persistently narrow spectral lines over ˜ 3 yr are inconsistent with known types of recurring black hole variability. The observed properties imply powering by shock interaction between expanding material and large quantities of surrounding dense matter. Plausible sources of this expanding material are a star that has been tidally disrupted by the central black hole, or a supernova. Both could satisfy the energy budget. For the former, we would be forced to invoke a new and hitherto unseen variant of a tidally disrupted star, while a supernova origin relies principally on environmental effects resulting from its nuclear location. Remarkably, we also discover that PS1-10adi is not an isolated case. We therefore surmise that this new population of transients has previously been overlooked due to incorrect association with underlying central black hole activity.",

author = "E. Kankare and R. Kotak and S. Mattila and P. Lundqvist and Ward, {M. J.} and M. Fraser and A. Lawrence and Smartt, {S. J.} and Meikle, {W. P. S.} and A. Bruce and J. Harmanen and Hutton, {S. J.} and C. Inserra and T. Kangas and A. Pastorello and T. Reynolds and C. Romero-Ca{\~n}izales and Smith, {K. W.} and S. Valenti and Chambers, {K. C.} and Hodapp, {K. W.} and Huber, {M. E.} and N. Kaiser and R.-P. Kudritzki and Magnier, {E. A.} and Tonry, {J. L.} and Wainscoat, {R. J.} and C. Waters",

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Kankare, E, Kotak, R, Mattila, S, Lundqvist, P, Ward, MJ, Fraser, M, Lawrence, A, Smartt, SJ, Meikle, WPS, Bruce, A, Harmanen, J, Hutton, SJ, Inserra, C, Kangas, T, Pastorello, A, Reynolds, T, Romero-Cañizales, C, Smith, KW, Valenti, S, Chambers, KC, Hodapp, KW, Huber, ME, Kaiser, N, Kudritzki, R-P, Magnier, EA, Tonry, JL, Wainscoat, RJ & Waters, C 2017, 'A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies', Nature Astronomy, vol. 1, pp. 865-871. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-017-0290-2

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T1 - A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies

AU - Kankare, E.

AU - Kotak, R.

AU - Mattila, S.

AU - Lundqvist, P.

AU - Ward, M. J.

AU - Fraser, M.

AU - Lawrence, A.

AU - Smartt, S. J.

AU - Meikle, W. P. S.

AU - Bruce, A.

AU - Harmanen, J.

AU - Hutton, S. J.

AU - Inserra, C.

AU - Kangas, T.

AU - Pastorello, A.

AU - Reynolds, T.

AU - Romero-Cañizales, C.

AU - Smith, K. W.

AU - Valenti, S.

AU - Chambers, K. C.

AU - Hodapp, K. W.

AU - Huber, M. E.

AU - Kaiser, N.

AU - Kudritzki, R.-P.

AU - Magnier, E. A.

AU - Tonry, J. L.

AU - Wainscoat, R. J.

AU - Waters, C.

PY - 2017/12/1

Y1 - 2017/12/1

N2 - Recent all-sky surveys have led to the discovery of new types of transients. These include stars disrupted by the central supermassive black hole, and supernovae that are 10-100 times more energetic than typical ones. However, the nature of even more energetic transients that apparently occur in the innermost regions of their host galaxies is hotly debated1-3. Here we report the discovery of the most energetic of these to date: PS1-10adi, with a total radiated energy of 2.3 × 1052 erg. The slow evolution of its light curve and persistently narrow spectral lines over ˜ 3 yr are inconsistent with known types of recurring black hole variability. The observed properties imply powering by shock interaction between expanding material and large quantities of surrounding dense matter. Plausible sources of this expanding material are a star that has been tidally disrupted by the central black hole, or a supernova. Both could satisfy the energy budget. For the former, we would be forced to invoke a new and hitherto unseen variant of a tidally disrupted star, while a supernova origin relies principally on environmental effects resulting from its nuclear location. Remarkably, we also discover that PS1-10adi is not an isolated case. We therefore surmise that this new population of transients has previously been overlooked due to incorrect association with underlying central black hole activity.

AB - Recent all-sky surveys have led to the discovery of new types of transients. These include stars disrupted by the central supermassive black hole, and supernovae that are 10-100 times more energetic than typical ones. However, the nature of even more energetic transients that apparently occur in the innermost regions of their host galaxies is hotly debated1-3. Here we report the discovery of the most energetic of these to date: PS1-10adi, with a total radiated energy of 2.3 × 1052 erg. The slow evolution of its light curve and persistently narrow spectral lines over ˜ 3 yr are inconsistent with known types of recurring black hole variability. The observed properties imply powering by shock interaction between expanding material and large quantities of surrounding dense matter. Plausible sources of this expanding material are a star that has been tidally disrupted by the central black hole, or a supernova. Both could satisfy the energy budget. For the former, we would be forced to invoke a new and hitherto unseen variant of a tidally disrupted star, while a supernova origin relies principally on environmental effects resulting from its nuclear location. Remarkably, we also discover that PS1-10adi is not an isolated case. We therefore surmise that this new population of transients has previously been overlooked due to incorrect association with underlying central black hole activity.

U2 - 10.1038/s41550-017-0290-2

DO - 10.1038/s41550-017-0290-2

M3 - Article

SN - 2397-3366

VL - 1

SP - 865

EP - 871

JO - Nature Astronomy

JF - Nature Astronomy

ER -

A population of highly energetic transient events in the centres of active galaxies

Abstract

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