An Obscured Tidal Disruption Event Uncovered by Its Mid- and Near-Infrared Dust Echo in a Star-Forming Galaxy
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866914613020327936 |
|---|---|
| author | Liu, Hui Sun, Luming Jiang, Ning Shu, Xinwen Wang, Yibo Wang, Tinggui Cutri, Roc M. Dou, Liming Zhang, Fabao Zhu, Jiazheng Sheng, Zhenfeng |
| author_facet | Liu, Hui Sun, Luming Jiang, Ning Shu, Xinwen Wang, Yibo Wang, Tinggui Cutri, Roc M. Dou, Liming Zhang, Fabao Zhu, Jiazheng Sheng, Zhenfeng |
| contents | We present a comprehensive study of an infrared (IR) flare in the star-forming galaxy SDSS J010320.39+140152.5, which is selected from the sample of mid-IR (MIR) outbursts in nearby galaxies (MIRONG). Its MIR luminosity rose rapidly to a peak of $\sim5.4\times10^{43}$ \lum, maintained in the high state for about a year, and decreased continuously afterward. No optical variability was detected throughout the IR flare. Near-IR follow-up observations around the peak pinpointed the flare's location to spatially coincide with the galactic nucleus, with a $3σ$ upper limit of the offset of $\lesssim100$ pc. The IR spectral energy distribution (SED) of the flare is consistent with thermal emission of dust with temperatures of $\sim900$ K. Using a dust radiative transfer model, we inferred a peak UV luminosity of $\sim(4-10)\times10^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and a total energy of $\sim(0.9-2)\times10^{52}$ ergs released. We ruled out the possibility of a supernova, and prefer that the IR flare originated from an obscured tidal disruption event (TDE) rather than a changing-look active galactic nucleus (AGN). This flare stands as one of the most compelling cases to date for the emerging class of dust-obscured TDEs in recent years. They are missed by optical surveys, partly accounting for the observed bias in TDE host galaxies, and represent a crucial, yet often overlooked, component for a complete understanding of the TDE population. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_29616 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | An Obscured Tidal Disruption Event Uncovered by Its Mid- and Near-Infrared Dust Echo in a Star-Forming Galaxy Liu, Hui Sun, Luming Jiang, Ning Shu, Xinwen Wang, Yibo Wang, Tinggui Cutri, Roc M. Dou, Liming Zhang, Fabao Zhu, Jiazheng Sheng, Zhenfeng Astrophysics of Galaxies High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena We present a comprehensive study of an infrared (IR) flare in the star-forming galaxy SDSS J010320.39+140152.5, which is selected from the sample of mid-IR (MIR) outbursts in nearby galaxies (MIRONG). Its MIR luminosity rose rapidly to a peak of $\sim5.4\times10^{43}$ \lum, maintained in the high state for about a year, and decreased continuously afterward. No optical variability was detected throughout the IR flare. Near-IR follow-up observations around the peak pinpointed the flare's location to spatially coincide with the galactic nucleus, with a $3σ$ upper limit of the offset of $\lesssim100$ pc. The IR spectral energy distribution (SED) of the flare is consistent with thermal emission of dust with temperatures of $\sim900$ K. Using a dust radiative transfer model, we inferred a peak UV luminosity of $\sim(4-10)\times10^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and a total energy of $\sim(0.9-2)\times10^{52}$ ergs released. We ruled out the possibility of a supernova, and prefer that the IR flare originated from an obscured tidal disruption event (TDE) rather than a changing-look active galactic nucleus (AGN). This flare stands as one of the most compelling cases to date for the emerging class of dust-obscured TDEs in recent years. They are missed by optical surveys, partly accounting for the observed bias in TDE host galaxies, and represent a crucial, yet often overlooked, component for a complete understanding of the TDE population. |
| title | An Obscured Tidal Disruption Event Uncovered by Its Mid- and Near-Infrared Dust Echo in a Star-Forming Galaxy |
| topic | Astrophysics of Galaxies High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.29616 |