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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05144 |
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| _version_ | 1866917067425316864 |
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| author | He, Lei Zhu, Liang-Gui Liu, Zheng-Yan Niu, Rui Wei, Chao Gao, Bing-Zhou Zhou, Ming-Shen Liang, Run-Duo Chen, Ken Wang, Jian-Min Jiang, Ning Cai, Zhen-Yi Jiang, Ji-an Dai, Zi-Gao Yuan, Ye-Fei Li, Jian Zhao, Wen |
| author_facet | He, Lei Zhu, Liang-Gui Liu, Zheng-Yan Niu, Rui Wei, Chao Gao, Bing-Zhou Zhou, Ming-Shen Liang, Run-Duo Chen, Ken Wang, Jian-Min Jiang, Ning Cai, Zhen-Yi Jiang, Ji-an Dai, Zi-Gao Yuan, Ye-Fei Li, Jian Zhao, Wen |
| contents | The detection of GW231123, a gravitational-wave (GW) event with exceptionally massive and rapidly spinning black holes, suggests the possible formation within an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk, which provides a favorable environment for potentially generating an observable electromagnetic (EM) counterpart. We conduct a search for such a counterpart by crossmatching the GW localization with a comprehensive catalog of AGN flares from the Zwicky Transient Facility. Our analysis yields six plausible optical flare candidates that are spatially and temporally coincident with GW231123 and exhibit significant deviations from their AGN baseline flux. Although these candidates represent a crucial first step, their true nature remains inconclusive. Confirming any one of these flares via future observations would provide a landmark validation of the AGN formation channel and unlock the multi-messenger potential of this extraordinary merger. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_05144 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Searching for Electromagnetic Counterpart Candidates to GW231123 He, Lei Zhu, Liang-Gui Liu, Zheng-Yan Niu, Rui Wei, Chao Gao, Bing-Zhou Zhou, Ming-Shen Liang, Run-Duo Chen, Ken Wang, Jian-Min Jiang, Ning Cai, Zhen-Yi Jiang, Ji-an Dai, Zi-Gao Yuan, Ye-Fei Li, Jian Zhao, Wen High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena The detection of GW231123, a gravitational-wave (GW) event with exceptionally massive and rapidly spinning black holes, suggests the possible formation within an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk, which provides a favorable environment for potentially generating an observable electromagnetic (EM) counterpart. We conduct a search for such a counterpart by crossmatching the GW localization with a comprehensive catalog of AGN flares from the Zwicky Transient Facility. Our analysis yields six plausible optical flare candidates that are spatially and temporally coincident with GW231123 and exhibit significant deviations from their AGN baseline flux. Although these candidates represent a crucial first step, their true nature remains inconclusive. Confirming any one of these flares via future observations would provide a landmark validation of the AGN formation channel and unlock the multi-messenger potential of this extraordinary merger. |
| title | Searching for Electromagnetic Counterpart Candidates to GW231123 |
| topic | High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.05144 |