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Search for Tidal Disruption Events Based on the SRG/eROSITA Survey with Subsequent Optical Spectroscopy

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Abstract

The four completed six-month sky surveys with the eROSITA telescope onboard the SRG orbital observatory allow tidal disruption events (TDEs) in galactic nuclei to be searched for by their X-ray variability. In this case, variable active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are detected in much larger quantities, for the elimination of which fairly stringent criteria have to be used. Some TDEs can be missed or misclassified as probable AGNs. Optical spectroscopy needs to be performed for the final identification of TDEs among the extragalactic SRG/eROSITA transients. We consider a set of criteria by which TDEs can be distinguished from AGNs based on optical spectra and photometric information. In particular, we propose to use the ratio of the X-ray luminosity to the [O III] 5007 Å luminosity. To test the proposed method, we consider a sample of 15 extragalactic SRG/eROSITA transients whose X-ray flux changed by more than a factor of 7 between two adjacent surveys. Spectra have been taken for all these objects with Russian optical telescopes: RTT-150, AZT-33IK, RC2500, and BTA. We have managed to reveal five new and one previously known TDEs and to classify seven sources as AGNs. The nature of two more transients remains in question. The proposed method will help to set priorities to obtain a maximally complete and reliable sample of TDEs in the SRG/eROSITA survey.

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Notes

  1. Note that, generally, a change in the flux by more than a specified factor (for example, 7 or 10) between any two sky surveys is required for the classification of an object as highly variable (Medvedev et al. 2022, in print).

  2. https://www.eso.org/sci/observing/tools/standards/spectra/stanlis.html

  3. https://andor.oxinst.com/products/ikon-xl-and-ikon-large-ccd-series/ikon-l-936

  4. https://obs.sai.msu.ru/cmo/sai25/tds/

  5. The spectral resolution for a \(1^{\prime\prime}\)-wide slit.

  6. https://pypi.org/project/pyraf

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russia

    G. A. Khorunzhev, S. Yu. Sazonov, P. S. Medvedev, M. R. Gilfanov, R. A. Burenin, I. A. Zaznobin, R. A. Krivonos & R. A. Sunyaev

  2. Max Planck Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, Garching, Postfach 1317, D-85741, Germany

    M. R. Gilfanov & R. A. Sunyaev

  3. Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    K. E. Atapin, A. A. Belinski, O. V. Vozyakova, A. V. Dodin, B. S. Safonov, A. M. Tatarnikov & K. A. Postnov

  4. Kazan Federal University, 420000, Kazan, Russia

    I. F. Bikmaev

  5. Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, 357147, Nizhnii Arkhyz, Karachai-Cherkessian Republic, Russia

    S. N. Dodonov & R. I. Uklein

  6. Institute of Solar–Terrestrial Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033, Irkutsk, Siberian Branch, Russia

    M. V. Eselevich

Authors
  1. G. A. Khorunzhev
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  2. S. Yu. Sazonov
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Correspondence to G. A. Khorunzhev.

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Translated by V. Astakhov

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Khorunzhev, G.A., Sazonov, S.Y., Medvedev, P.S. et al. Search for Tidal Disruption Events Based on the SRG/eROSITA Survey with Subsequent Optical Spectroscopy. Astron. Lett. 48, 767–789 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063773723010036

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