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Discovery and follow-up of ASASSN-19dj: an X-ray and UV luminous TDE in an extreme post-starburst galaxy

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  • Jason T. Hinkle
  • T. W-S Holoien
  • K. Auchettl
  • B. J. Shappee
  • J. M. M. Neustadt
  • A. Payne
  • J. S. Brown
  • C. S. Kochanek
  • K. Z. Stanek
  • M. J. Graham
  • M. A. Tucker
  • A. Do
  • J. P. Anderson
  • S. Bose
  • P. Chen
  • D. A. Coulter
  • Subo Dong
  • R. J. Foley
  • M. E. Huber
  • T. Hung
  • C. D. Kilpatrick
  • G. Pignata
  • A. L. Piro
  • C. Rojas-Bravo
  • M. R. Siebert
  • B. Stalder
  • Todd A. Thompson
  • J. L. Tonry
  • P. J. Vallely
  • J. P. Wisniewski
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>15/10/2020
<mark>Journal</mark>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Issue number2
Volume500
Number of pages24
Pages (from-to)1673-1696
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

We present observations of ASASSN-19dj, a nearby tidal disruption event (TDE) discovered in the post-starburst galaxy KUG 0810+227 by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) at a distance of d ≃ 98 Mpc. We observed ASASSN-19dj from -21 to 392 d relative to peak ultraviolet (UV)/optical emission using high-cadence, multiwavelength spectroscopy and photometry. From the ASAS-SN g-band data, we determine that the TDE began to brighten on 2019 February 6.8 and for the first 16 d the rise was consistent with a flux α2 power law. ASASSN-19dj peaked in the UV/optical on 2019 March 6.5 (MJD = 58548.5) at a bolometric luminosity of L = (6.2 ± 0.2) × 1044 erg s-1. Initially remaining roughly constant in X-rays and slowly fading in the UV/optical, the X-ray flux increased by over an order of magnitude ∼225 d after peak, resulting from the expansion of the X-ray emitting region. The late-time X-ray emission is well fitted by a blackbody with an effective radius of ∼1 × 1012 cm and a temperature of ∼6 × 105 K. The X-ray hardness ratio becomes softer after brightening and then returns to a harder state as the X-rays fade. Analysis of Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey images reveals a nuclear outburst roughly 14.5 yr earlier with a smooth decline and a luminosity of LV ≥ 1.4 × 1043 erg s-1, although the nature of the flare is unknown. ASASSN-19dj occurred in the most extreme post-starburst galaxy yet to host a TDE, with Lick HδA = 7.67 ± 0.17 Å.