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Late Time Multi-Wavelength Observations of Swift J1644+5734: A Luminous Optical/IR Bump and Quiescent X-Ray EmissionWe present late time multi-wavelength observations of Swift J1644+57, suggested to be a relativistic tidal disruption flare (TDF). Our observations extend to greater than 4 years from discovery and show that 1.4 years after outburst the relativistic jet switched off on a timescale less than tens of days, corresponding to a power-law decay faster than t (sup -70). Beyond this point weak X-rays continue to be detected at an approximately constant luminosity of L (sub X) approximately equal to 5 times 10 (sup 42) ergs per second and are marginally inconsistent with a continuing decay of t (sup minus 5 divided by 3), similar to that seen prior to the switch-off. Host photometry enables us to infer a black hole mass of M (mass) (sub BH (black hole) equal to 3 times 10 (sup 6) the mass of the sun, consistent with the late time X-ray luminosity arising from sub-Eddington accretion onto the black hole in the form of either an unusually optically faint active galactic nucleus or a slowly varying phase of the transient. Optical/IR observations show a clear bump in the light curve at timescales of 30 to 50 days, with a peak magnitude (corrected for host galaxy extinction) of M (sub R) approximately equal to minus 22 to minus 23. The luminosity of the bump is significantly higher than seen in other, nonrelativisticTDFs and does not match any re-brightening seen at X-ray or radio wavelengths. Its luminosity, light curve shape, and spectrum are broadly similar to those seen in superluminous supervnovae, although subject to large uncertainties in the correction of the significant host extinction. We discuss these observations in the context of both TDF and massive star origins for Swift J1644+5734 and other candidate relativistic tidal flares.
Document ID
20170003693
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Levan, A. J.
(Warwick Univ. Coventry, United Kingdom)
Tanvir, N. R.
(Leicester Univ. United Kingdom)
Brown, G. C.
(Warwick Univ. Coventry, United Kingdom)
Metzger, B.D.
(Columbia Univ. New York, NY, United States)
Page, K. L.
(Leicester Univ. United Kingdom)
Cenko, S. B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
O'Brien, P. T.
(Leicester Univ. United Kingdom)
Lyman, J. D.
(Warwick Univ. Coventry, United Kingdom)
Wiersema, K.
(Leicester Univ. United Kingdom)
Stanway, E. R.
(Warwick Univ. Coventry, United Kingdom)
Fruchter, A. S.
(Space Telescope Science Inst. Baltimore, MD, United States)
Perley, D. A.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Bloom, J. S.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 20, 2017
Publication Date
February 26, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: The American Astronomical Society
Volume: 819
Issue: 1
ISSN: 2041-8205
e-ISSN: 2041-8213
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41760
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
galaxies: active – galaxies: jets – supernovae: general

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