EP241021a: a months-duration X-ray transient with luminous optical and radio emission
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arXiv
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2025
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| author | Xinwen, Shu Lei, Yang Haonan, Yang Fan, Xu Jinhong, Chen J., Eyles-Ferris Rob A. Lixin, Dai Yunwei, Yu Rongfeng, Shen Luming, Sun Hucheng, Ding Ning, Jiang Wenxiong, Li Ningchen, Sun Dong, Xu Weikang, Zheng Zhumao, Zhang Chichuan, Jin Arne, Rau Tinggui, Wang Xuefeng, Wu Weimin, Yuan Bing, Zhang Kirpal, Nandra S., Aguado David Fangxia, An Tao, An Jie, An Moira, Andrews Rungrit, Anutarawiramkul Pietro, Baldini G., Brink Thomas Pathompong, Butpa Zhiming, Cai J., Castro-Tirado Alberto Huaqing, Cheng Weiwei, Cui Joseph, Farah V., Filippenko Alexei Shaoyu, Fu Fynbo, Johan P. U. Xing, Gao Dawei, Han Xuhui, Han Andrew, Howell D. Jingwei, Hu Shuaiqing, Jiang Amit, Kumar Weihua, Lei Dongyue, Li Chengkui, Li Huaqiu, Liu Xing, Liu Yuan, Liu Alicia, López-Oramas López, Fernández-Nespral David R., Maund Justyn Curtis, McCully Zexi, Niu Megan, Newsome O'Brien, Paul Haiwu, Pan Estefania, Padilla Gonzalez Ismael, Pérez-Fournon Frédérick, Poidevin Walter, Silim Roberto, Soria Hui, Sun Shengli, Sun Xiaojin, Sun Giacomo, Terreran Samaporn, Tinyanont Junxian, Wang Yanan, Wang Yun, Wang Klass, Wiersema Yunfei, Xu Yongquan, Xue Fabao, Zhang Juan, Zhang Pinpin, Zhang Wenda, Zhang Yonghe, Zhang Haisheng, Zhao Zipei, Zhu |
| author_facet | Xinwen, Shu Lei, Yang Haonan, Yang Fan, Xu Jinhong, Chen J., Eyles-Ferris Rob A. Lixin, Dai Yunwei, Yu Rongfeng, Shen Luming, Sun Hucheng, Ding Ning, Jiang Wenxiong, Li Ningchen, Sun Dong, Xu Weikang, Zheng Zhumao, Zhang Chichuan, Jin Arne, Rau Tinggui, Wang Xuefeng, Wu Weimin, Yuan Bing, Zhang Kirpal, Nandra S., Aguado David Fangxia, An Tao, An Jie, An Moira, Andrews Rungrit, Anutarawiramkul Pietro, Baldini G., Brink Thomas Pathompong, Butpa Zhiming, Cai J., Castro-Tirado Alberto Huaqing, Cheng Weiwei, Cui Joseph, Farah V., Filippenko Alexei Shaoyu, Fu Fynbo, Johan P. U. Xing, Gao Dawei, Han Xuhui, Han Andrew, Howell D. Jingwei, Hu Shuaiqing, Jiang Amit, Kumar Weihua, Lei Dongyue, Li Chengkui, Li Huaqiu, Liu Xing, Liu Yuan, Liu Alicia, López-Oramas López, Fernández-Nespral David R., Maund Justyn Curtis, McCully Zexi, Niu Megan, Newsome O'Brien, Paul Haiwu, Pan Estefania, Padilla Gonzalez Ismael, Pérez-Fournon Frédérick, Poidevin Walter, Silim Roberto, Soria Hui, Sun Shengli, Sun Xiaojin, Sun Giacomo, Terreran Samaporn, Tinyanont Junxian, Wang Yanan, Wang Yun, Wang Klass, Wiersema Yunfei, Xu Yongquan, Xue Fabao, Zhang Juan, Zhang Pinpin, Zhang Wenda, Zhang Yonghe, Zhang Haisheng, Zhao Zipei, Zhu |
| contents | We present the discovery of a peculiar X-ray transient, EP241021a, by the Einstein Probe (EP) mission, and the results from multiwavelength follow-up observations. The transient was first detected with the Wide-field X-ray Telescope as an intense flare lasting for ~100 s, reaching a luminosity of L_(0.5-4 keV)~10^48 erg/s at z=0.748. Further observations with EP's Follow-up X-ray Telescope reveal a huge drop in the X-ray flux by a factor of >1000 within 1.5 days. After maintaining a nearly plateau phase for ~7 days, the X-ray flux declines as t^-1.2 over a period of ~30 days, followed by a sudden decrease to an undetectable level by EP and XMM-Newton, making it the longest afterglow emission detected among known fast X-ray transients. A bright counterpart at optical and radio wavelengths was also detected, with high peak luminosities in excess of 10^44 erg/s and 10^41 erg/s, respectively. In addition, EP241021a exhibits a non-thermal X-ray spectrum, red optical color, X-ray and optical rebrightenings in the light curves, and fast radio spectral evolution, suggesting that relativistic jets may have been launched. We discuss possible origins of EP241021a, including a choked jet with supernova shock breakout, a merger-triggered magnetar, a highly structured jet, and a repeating partial tidal disruption event involving an intermediate-mass black hole, but none can perfectly explain the multiwavelength properties. EP241021a may represent a new type of X-ray transients with months-duration evolution timescales, and future EP detections and follow-up observations of similar systems will provide statistical samples to understand the underlying mechanisms at work. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_07665 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | EP241021a: a months-duration X-ray transient with luminous optical and radio emission Xinwen, Shu Lei, Yang Haonan, Yang Fan, Xu Jinhong, Chen J., Eyles-Ferris Rob A. Lixin, Dai Yunwei, Yu Rongfeng, Shen Luming, Sun Hucheng, Ding Ning, Jiang Wenxiong, Li Ningchen, Sun Dong, Xu Weikang, Zheng Zhumao, Zhang Chichuan, Jin Arne, Rau Tinggui, Wang Xuefeng, Wu Weimin, Yuan Bing, Zhang Kirpal, Nandra S., Aguado David Fangxia, An Tao, An Jie, An Moira, Andrews Rungrit, Anutarawiramkul Pietro, Baldini G., Brink Thomas Pathompong, Butpa Zhiming, Cai J., Castro-Tirado Alberto Huaqing, Cheng Weiwei, Cui Joseph, Farah V., Filippenko Alexei Shaoyu, Fu Fynbo, Johan P. U. Xing, Gao Dawei, Han Xuhui, Han Andrew, Howell D. Jingwei, Hu Shuaiqing, Jiang Amit, Kumar Weihua, Lei Dongyue, Li Chengkui, Li Huaqiu, Liu Xing, Liu Yuan, Liu Alicia, López-Oramas López, Fernández-Nespral David R., Maund Justyn Curtis, McCully Zexi, Niu Megan, Newsome O'Brien, Paul Haiwu, Pan Estefania, Padilla Gonzalez Ismael, Pérez-Fournon Frédérick, Poidevin Walter, Silim Roberto, Soria Hui, Sun Shengli, Sun Xiaojin, Sun Giacomo, Terreran Samaporn, Tinyanont Junxian, Wang Yanan, Wang Yun, Wang Klass, Wiersema Yunfei, Xu Yongquan, Xue Fabao, Zhang Juan, Zhang Pinpin, Zhang Wenda, Zhang Yonghe, Zhang Haisheng, Zhao Zipei, Zhu High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena We present the discovery of a peculiar X-ray transient, EP241021a, by the Einstein Probe (EP) mission, and the results from multiwavelength follow-up observations. The transient was first detected with the Wide-field X-ray Telescope as an intense flare lasting for ~100 s, reaching a luminosity of L_(0.5-4 keV)~10^48 erg/s at z=0.748. Further observations with EP's Follow-up X-ray Telescope reveal a huge drop in the X-ray flux by a factor of >1000 within 1.5 days. After maintaining a nearly plateau phase for ~7 days, the X-ray flux declines as t^-1.2 over a period of ~30 days, followed by a sudden decrease to an undetectable level by EP and XMM-Newton, making it the longest afterglow emission detected among known fast X-ray transients. A bright counterpart at optical and radio wavelengths was also detected, with high peak luminosities in excess of 10^44 erg/s and 10^41 erg/s, respectively. In addition, EP241021a exhibits a non-thermal X-ray spectrum, red optical color, X-ray and optical rebrightenings in the light curves, and fast radio spectral evolution, suggesting that relativistic jets may have been launched. We discuss possible origins of EP241021a, including a choked jet with supernova shock breakout, a merger-triggered magnetar, a highly structured jet, and a repeating partial tidal disruption event involving an intermediate-mass black hole, but none can perfectly explain the multiwavelength properties. EP241021a may represent a new type of X-ray transients with months-duration evolution timescales, and future EP detections and follow-up observations of similar systems will provide statistical samples to understand the underlying mechanisms at work. |
| title | EP241021a: a months-duration X-ray transient with luminous optical and radio emission |
| topic | High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.07665 |