Optically Overluminous Tidal Disruption Events: Outflow Properties and Implications for Extremely Relativistic Disruptions

Yao, Y, Alexander, KD, Lu, W, Somalwar, JJ, Ravi, V, Chornock, R, Margutti, R, Perley, DA ORCID: 0000-0001-8472-1996, Miller-Jones, JCA, Beniamini, P, A.J, N, Bloom, JS, Christy, CT, Graham, MJ, Groom, SL, Hammerstein, E, Helou, G, Kasliwal, MM, Kulkarni, SR, Laher, RR et al (2025) Optically Overluminous Tidal Disruption Events: Outflow Properties and Implications for Extremely Relativistic Disruptions. The Astrophysical Journal, 993 (198). pp. 1-13. ISSN 0004-637X

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Abstract

Recent studies suggest that tidal disruption events (TDEs) with off-axis jets may manifest as optically overluminous events. To search for jet signatures at late times, we conducted radio observations of eight such optically overluminous (Mg,peak < −20.8 mag) TDEs with the Very Large Array. We detect radio counterparts in four events. The observed radio luminosities (L6 GHz ∼ 1038–1039 erg s−1) are two orders of magnitude lower than those of on-axis jetted TDEs, and we find no evidence for off-axis jets within a rest-frame time of 3 yr. Two of them (AT2022hvp and AT2021aeou) exhibit evolving radio emission, consistent with synchrotron emission from non-relativistic outflows launched near the time of first optical light. Two events (AT2020ysg and AT2020qhs) show no statistically significant variability, which can be attributed to either non-relativistic outflows or pre-existing active galactic nuclei. Compared to a control sample of fainter TDEs with Mg,peak > −20.5 mag observed at similar rest-frame timescales (trest ∼ 1.5 yr), our sample shows systematically more luminous radio emission, suggesting that optically overluminous TDEs may launch more powerful prompt non-relativistic outflows. We speculate that strong general relativistic effects near high-mass black holes (MBH ∼ 108 M⊙) may play a key role. These findings motivate further investigation into the nature of relativistic disruptions around massive black holes and the physical conditions necessary for jet formation.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	5101 Astronomical Sciences; 51 Physical Sciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions:	Astrophysics Research Institute
Publisher:	American Astronomical Society
Date of acceptance:	16 September 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	14 November 2025
Date Deposited:	14 Nov 2025 16:39
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2025 16:45
DOI or ID number:	10.3847/1538-4357/ae08b3
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27567

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