Search

We present the JWST discovery of SN 2023adsy, a transient object located in a host galaxy JADES-GS$+53.13485$$-$$27.82088$ with a host spectroscopic redshift of $2.903\pm0.007$. The transient was identified in deep James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)/NIRCam imaging from the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program. Photometric and spectroscopic followup with NIRCam and NIRSpec, respectively, confirm the redshift and yield UV-NIR light-curve, NIR color, and spectroscopic information all consistent with a Type Ia classification. Despite its classification as a likely SN Ia, SN 2023adsy is both fairly red (E(B-V)$\sim0.9$) despite a host galaxy with low-extinction and has a high Ca II velocity ($19,000\pm2,000$km/s) compared to the general population of SNe Ia. While these characteristics are consistent with some Ca-rich SNe Ia, particularly SN 2016hnk, SN 2023adsy is intrinsically brighter than the low-z Ca-rich population. Although such an object is too red for any low-z cosmological sample, we apply a fiducial standardization approach to SN 2023adsy and find that the SN 2023adsy luminosity distance measurement is in excellent agreement ($\lesssim1\sigma$) with $\Lambda$CDM. Therefore unlike low-z Ca-rich SNe Ia, SN 2023adsy is standardizable and gives no indication that SN Ia standardized luminosities change significantly with redshift. A larger sample of distant SNe Ia is required to determine if SN Ia population characteristics at high-z truly diverge from their low-z counterparts, and to confirm that standardized luminosities nevertheless remain constant with redshift., Comment: Submitted to ApJL

We present JWST NIRCam and NIRSpec observations of a Type Ic supernova (SN Ic) and its host galaxy (JADES-GS+53.13533-27.81457) at $z = 2.83$. This SN (named SN 2023adta) was identified in deep James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)/NIRCam imaging from the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) Program. Follow-up observations with JWST/NIRSpec provided a spectroscopic redshift of $z = 2.83$ and the classification as a SN Ic-BL. The light curve of SN 2023adta matches well with other stripped envelope supernovae and we find a high peak luminosity, $M_V = -19.0 \pm 0.2$ mag, based on the distribution of best-fit SNe. The broad absorption features in its spectrum are consistent with other SNe Ic-BL 1-3 weeks after peak brightness. We measure a Ca II NIR triplet expansion velocity of $29{,}000 \pm 2{,}000$ km s$^{-1}$. The host galaxy of SN 2023adta is irregular, and modeling of its spectral energy distribution (SED) indicates a metallicity of $Z = 0.35^{+0.16}_{-0.08} Z_{\odot}$. This environment is consistent with the population of low-$z$ SNe Ic-BL which prefer lower metallicities relative to other stripped envelope supernovae, and track long duration $\gamma$-ray burst (LGRB) environments. We do not identify any GRBs that are coincident with SN 2023adta. Given the rarity of SNe Ic-BL in the local universe, the detection of a SN Ic-BL at $z = 2.83$ could indicate that their rates are enhanced at high redshift., Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, Published in ApJL

A bright ($m_{\rm F150W,AB}$=24 mag), $z=1.95$ supernova (SN) candidate was discovered in JWST/NIRCam imaging acquired on 2023 November 17. The SN is quintuply-imaged as a result of strong gravitational lensing by a foreground galaxy cluster, detected in three locations, and remarkably is the second lensed SN found in the same host galaxy. The previous lensed SN was called "Requiem", and therefore the new SN is named "Encore". This makes the MACS J0138.0$-$2155 cluster the first known system to produce more than one multiply-imaged SN. Moreover, both SN Requiem and SN Encore are Type Ia SNe (SNe Ia), making this the most distant case of a galaxy hosting two SNe Ia. Using parametric host fitting, we determine the probability of detecting two SNe Ia in this host galaxy over a $\sim10$ year window to be $\approx3\%$. These observations have the potential to yield a Hubble Constant ($H_0$) measurement with $\sim10\%$ precision, only the third lensed SN capable of such a result, using the three visible images of the SN. Both SN Requiem and SN Encore have a fourth image that is expected to appear within a few years of $\sim2030$, providing an unprecedented baseline for time-delay cosmography., Comment: Accepted, ApJL

Supermassive black holes can experience super-Eddington peak mass fallback rates following the tidal disruption of a star. The theoretical expectation is that part of the infalling material is expelled by means of an accretion disk wind, whose observational signature includes blueshifted absorption lines of highly ionized species in X-ray spectra. To date, however, only one such ultra-fast outflow (UFO) has been reported in the tidal disruption event (TDE) ASASSN-14li. Here we report on the discovery of transient absorption-like signatures in X-ray spectra of the TDE AT2020ksf/Gaia20cjk (at a redshift of $z$=0.092), following an X-ray brightening $\sim 230$ days after UV/optical peak. We find that while no statistically significant absorption features are present initially, they appear on a timescale of several days, and remain detected up to 770 days after peak. Simple thermal continuum models, combined with a power-law or neutral absorber, do not describe these features well. Adding a partial covering, low velocity ionized absorber improves the fit at early times, but fails at late times. A high velocity (v$_w$ $\sim$ 42000 km s$^{-1}$, or -0.15c), ionized absorber (ultra-fast outflow) provides a good fit to all data. The few day timescale of variability is consistent with expectations for a clumpy wind. We discuss several scenarios that could explain the X-ray delay, as well as the potential for larger scale wind feedback. The serendipitous nature of the discovery could suggest a high incidence of UFOs in TDEs, alleviating some of the tension with theoretical expectations., Comment: 14 pages + appendices, accepted for publication in ApJ

Context. Multiwavelength studies of transients in actively accreting supermassive black holes have revealed that large-amplitude variability is frequently linked to significant changes in the optical spectra -- a phenomenon referred to as changing-look AGN (CLAGN). Aim. In 2020, the Zwicky Transient Facility detected a transient flaring event in the type-1.9 AGN 6dFGS~gJ042838.8-000040, wherein a sharp increase in magnitude of $\sim$0.55 and $\sim$0.3 in the $g$- and $r$-bands, respectively, occurred over $\sim$40 days. Spectrum Roentgen Gamma (SRG)/eROSITA also observed the object in X-rays as part of its all-sky survey, but only after the flare had started decaying. Methods. We performed a three-year, multiwavelength follow-up campaign of the source to track its spectral and temporal characteristics. This campaign included multiple ground-based facilities for optical spectroscopic monitoring and space-based observatories including \textit{XMM-Newton} and \textit{Swift} for X-ray and UV observations. Results. An optical spectrum taken immediately after the peak revealed a changing-look event wherein the source had transitioned from type 1.9 to 1, with the appearance of a double-peaked broad H$\beta$ line and a blue continuum, both absent in an archival spectrum from 2005. The X-ray emission exhibits dramatic flux variation: a factor of $\sim$17, but with no spectral evolution, as the power-law photon index remained $\sim$1.9. There is no evidence of a soft X-ray excess. Overall the object exhibits no apparent signatures of a tidal disruption event. Conclusions. The transient event was likely triggered by a disk instability in a pre-existing accretion flow, culminating in the observed multi-wavelength variability and CLAGN event., Comment: 34 pages, 24 figures, Submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics

A tidal disruption event (TDE) occurs when a star is destroyed by a supermassive black hole. Broadband radio spectral observations of TDEs trace the emission from any outflows or jets that are ejected from the vicinity of the supermassive black hole. However, radio detections of TDEs are rare, with less than 20 published to date, and only 11 with multi-epoch broadband coverage. Here we present the radio detection of the TDE AT2020vwl and our subsequent radio monitoring campaign of the outflow that was produced, spanning 1.5 years post-optical flare. We tracked the outflow evolution as it expanded between $10^{16}$ cm to $10^{17}$ cm from the supermassive black hole, deducing it was non-relativistic and launched quasi-simultaneously with the initial optical detection through modelling the evolving synchrotron spectra of the event. We deduce that the outflow is likely to have been launched by material ejected from stream-stream collisions (more likely), the unbound debris stream, or an accretion-induced wind or jet from the supermassive black hole (less likely). AT2020vwl joins a growing number of TDEs with well-characterised prompt radio emission, with future timely radio observations of TDEs required to fully understand the mechanism that produces this type of radio emission in TDEs., Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

NASA's Great Observatories have opened up the electromagnetic spectrum from space, providing sustained access to wavelengths not accessible from the ground. Together, Hubble, Compton, Chandra, and Spitzer have provided the scientific community with an agile and powerful suite of telescopes with which to attack broad scientific questions, and react to a rapidly changing scientific landscape. As the existing Great Observatories age, or are decommissioned, community access to these wavelengths will diminish, with an accompanying loss of scientific capability. This report, commissioned by the NASA Cosmic Origins, Physics of the Cosmos and Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Groups (PAGs), analyzes the importance of multi-wavelength observations from space during the epoch of the Great Observatories, providing examples that span a broad range of astrophysical investigations., Comment: A report by the Great Observatories Science Analysis Group (SAG-10), commissioned by NASA's Cosmic Origins, Physics of the Cosmos, and Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Groups. 87 pages, 23 figures

We report on SRG/eROSITA, ZTF, ASAS-SN, Las Cumbres, NEOWISE-R, and Swift XRT/UVOT observations of the unique ongoing event AT 2019avd, located in the nucleus of a previously inactive galaxy at $z=0.029$. eROSITA first observed AT 2019avd on 2020-04-28 during its first all sky survey, when it was detected as an ultra-soft X-ray source ($kT\sim 85$ eV) that was $\gtrsim 90$ times brighter in the $0.2-2$ keV band than a previous 3$\sigma$ upper flux detection limit (with no archival X-ray detection at this position). The ZTF optical light curve in the $\sim 450$ days preceding the eROSITA detection is double peaked, and the eROSITA detection coincides with the rise of the second peak. Follow-up optical spectroscopy shows the emergence of a Bowen fluorescence feature and high-ionisation coronal lines ([\ion{Fe}{X}] 6375 {\AA}, [\ion{Fe}{XIV}] 5303 {\AA}), along with persistent broad Balmer emission lines (FWHM$\sim 1400$ km s$^{-1}$). Whilst the X-ray properties make AT 2019avd a promising tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate, the optical properties are atypical for optically selected TDEs. We discuss potential alternative origins that could explain the observed properties of AT 2019avd, such as a stellar binary TDE candidate, or a TDE involving a super massive black hole binary., Comment: A&A accepted 18/12/2020. 19 pages, 14 figures, 8 tables. Forthcoming article in A&A special issue: 'First science highlights from SRG/eROSITA'

We report the results of ultraviolet (UV) and optical photometric and spectroscopic analysis of the tidal disruption event (TDE) AT2019qiz. Our follow-up observations started $<$10 days after the source began to brighten in the optical and lasted for a period of six months. Our late-time host-dominated spectrum indicates that the host galaxy likely harbors a weak active galactic nucleus. The initial {\it Hubble Space Telescope (HST)} spectrum of AT2019qiz exhibits an iron and low-ionization broad absorption line (FeLoBAL) system that is seen for the first time in a TDE. This spectrum also bears a striking resemblance to that of Gaia16apd, a superluminous supernova. Our observations provide insights into the outflow properties in TDEs and show evidence for a connection between TDEs and engine-powered supernovae at early phase, as originally suggested in Metzger & Stone (2016). In a time frame of 50 days, the UV spectra of AT2019qiz started to resemble previous TDEs with only high-ionization BALs. The change in UV spectral signatures is accompanied by a decrease in the outflow velocity, which began at $15,000$ km s$^{-1}$ and decelerated to $\sim10,000$ km s$^{-1}$. A similar evolution in the H$\alpha$ emission line width further supports the speculation that the broad Balmer emission lines are formed in TDE outflows. In addition, we detect narrow absorption features on top of the FeLoBAL signatures in the early HST UV spectrum of AT2019qiz. The measured HI column density corresponds to a Lyman-limit system whereas the metal absorption lines, such as NV, CIV, FeII, and MgII, are likely probing the circumnuclear gas and interstellar medium in the host galaxy., Comment: 31 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ on Apr 1 2021

Time domain and multi-messenger astrophysics are growing and important modes of observational astronomy that will help define astrophysics in the 2020s. Significant effort is being put into developing the components of a follow-up system for dynamically turning survey alerts into data. This system consists of: 1) brokers that will aggregate, classify, and filter alerts; 2) Target Observation Managers (TOMs) for prioritizing targets and managing observations and data; and 3) observatory interfaces, schedulers, and facilities along with data reduction software and science archives. These efforts need continued community support and funding in order to complete and maintain them. Many of the efforts can be community open-source software projects but they will benefit from the leadership of professional software developers. The coordination should be done by institutions that are involved in the follow-up system such as the national observatories (e.g. LSST/Gemini/NOAO Mid-scale/Community Science and Data Center) or a new MMA institute. These tools will help the community to produce the most science from new facilities and will provide new capabilities for all users of the facilities that adopt them., Comment: Astro2020 Decadal Survey Activities, Projects, or State of the Profession Consideration (APC) white paper

We present a systematic search for periodically varying quasar and supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) candidates in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey. From $\sim9,000$ color-selected quasars in a $\sim50$ deg$^{2}$ sky area, we initially identify $26$ candidates with more than $1.5$ cycles of variation. We extend the baseline of observations via our imaging campaign with the Discovery Channel Telescope and the Las Cumbres Observatory network and reevaluate the candidates using a more rigorous, maximum likelihood method. Using a range of statistical criteria and assuming the Damped Random Walk model for normal quasar variability, we identify one statistically significant periodic candidate. We also investigate the capabilities of detecting SMBHBs by the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope using our study with MDS as a benchmark and explore any complementary, multiwavelength evidence for SMBHBs in our sample., Comment: Accepted to ApJ. 26 pages, 12 figures, 11 tables, 2 appendices

We report the discovery of non-stellar hydrogen Balmer and metastable helium absorption lines accompanying a transient, high-velocity (0.05$c$) broad absorption line (BAL) system in the optical spectra of the tidal disruption event (TDE) AT2018zr ($z=0.071$). In the HST UV spectra, absorption of high- and low-ionization lines are also present at this velocity, making AT2018zr resemble a low-ionization broad absorption line (LoBAL) QSO. We conclude that these transient absorption features are more likely to arise in fast outflows produced by the TDE than absorbed by the unbound debris. In accordance with the outflow picture, we are able to reproduce the flat-topped H$\alpha$ emission in a spherically expanding medium, without invoking the typical prescription of an elliptical disk. We also report the appearance of narrow ($\sim$1000~km~s$^{-1}$) NIII$\lambda$4640, HeII$\lambda4686$, H$\alpha$, and H$\beta$, emission in the late-time optical spectra of AT2018zr, which may be a result of UV continuum hardening at late time as observed by Swift. Including AT2018zr, we find a high association rate (3 out of 4) of BALs in the UV spectra of TDEs. This suggests that outflows may be ubiquitous among TDEs and may be less sensitive to viewing angle effects compared to QSO outflows., Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, submitted to ApJ

This white paper specifies the footprints, cadence requirements, and total-depth requirements needed to allow the most-successful AGN studies in the four currently selected LSST Deep-Drilling Fields (DDFs): ELAIS-S1, XMM-LSS, CDF-S, and COSMOS. The information provided on cadence and total-depth requirements will also likely be applicable to enabling effective AGN science in any additional DDFs that are chosen., Comment: 22 pages, white paper on LSST cadence optimization, comments welcome

We present results from a systematic selection of tidal disruption events (TDEs) in a wide-area (4800~deg$^2$), $g+R$ band, Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) experiment. Our selection targets typical optically-selected TDEs: bright ($>$60\% flux increase) and blue transients residing in the center of red galaxies. Using photometric selection criteria to down-select from a total of 493 nuclear transients to a sample of 26 sources, we then use follow-up UV imaging with the Neil Gehrels Swift Telescope, ground-based optical spectroscopy, and light curve fitting to classify them as 14 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), 9 highly variable active galactic nuclei (AGNs), 2 confirmed TDEs, and 1 potential core-collapse supernova. We find it possible to filter AGNs by employing a more stringent transient color cut ($g-r <$ $-$0.2 mag); further, UV imaging is the best discriminator for filtering SNe, since SNe Ia can appear as blue, optically, as TDEs in their early phases. However, when UV-optical color is unavailable, higher precision astrometry can also effectively reduce SNe contamination in the optical. Our most stringent optical photometric selection criteria yields a 4.5:1 contamination rate, allowing for a manageable number of TDE candidates for complete spectroscopic follow-up and real-time classification in the ZTF era. We measure a TDE per galaxy rate of 1.7$^{+2.9}_{-1.3}$ $\times$10$^{-4}$ gal$^{-1}$ yr$^{-1}$ (90\% CL in Poisson statistics). This does not account for TDEs outside our selection criteria, thus may not reflect the total TDE population, which is yet to be fully mapped., Comment: 24 pages, 21 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

We present late-time observations by Swift and XMM-Newton of the tidal disruption event (TDE) ASASSN-15oi that reveal that the source brightened in the X-rays by a factor of $\sim10$ one year after its discovery, while it faded in the UV/optical by a factor of $\sim 100$. The XMM-Newton observations measure a soft X-ray blackbody component with $kT_{\rm bb} \sim 45$ eV, corresponding to radiation from several gravitational radii of a central $\sim 10^6 M_\odot$ black hole. The last Swift epoch taken almost 600 days after discovery shows that the X-ray source has faded back to its levels during the UV/optical peak. The timescale of the X-ray brightening suggests that the X-ray emission could be coming from delayed accretion through a newly forming debris disk, and that the prompt UV/optical emission is from the prior circularization of the disk through stream-stream collisions. The lack of spectral evolution during the X-ray brightening disfavors ionization breakout of a TDE "veiled" by obscuring material. This is the first time a TDE has been shown to have a delayed peak in soft X-rays relative to the UV/optical peak, which may be the first clear signature of the real-time assembly of a nascent accretion disk, and provides strong evidence for the origin of the UV/optical emission from circularization, as opposed to reprocessed emission of accretion radiation., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

We performed a wide-area (2000 deg$^{2}$) g and I band experiment as part of a two month extension to the Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory. We discovered 36 extragalactic transients including iPTF17lf, a highly reddened local SN Ia, iPTF17bkj, a new member of the rare class of transitional Ibn/IIn supernovae, and iPTF17be, a candidate luminous blue variable outburst. We do not detect any luminous red novae and place an upper limit on their rate. We show that adding a slow-cadence I band component to upcoming surveys such as the Zwicky Transient Facility will improve the photometric selection of cool and dusty transients., Comment: 14 pages, 17 figures. Accepted to PASP

We report the discovery by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) of a candidate tidal disruption event (TDE) iPTF16axa at $z=0.108$, and present its broadband photometric and spectroscopic evolution from 3 months of follow-up observations with ground-based telescopes and Swift. The light curve is well fitted with a $t^{-5/3}$ decay, and we constrain the rise-time to peak to be $<$49 rest-frame days after disruption, which is roughly consistent with the fallback timescale expected for the $\sim 5\times$10$^{6}$ $M_\odot$ black hole inferred from the stellar velocity dispersion of the host galaxy. The UV and optical spectral energy distribution (SED) is well described by a constant blackbody temperature of T$\sim$ 3$\times$10$^4$ K over the monitoring period, with an observed peak luminosity of 1.1$\times$10$^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The optical spectra are characterized by a strong blue continuum and broad HeII and H$\alpha$ lines characteristic of TDEs. We compare the photometric and spectroscopic signatures of iPTF16axa with 11 TDE candidates in the literature with well-sampled optical light curves. Based on a single-temperature fit to the optical and near-UV photometry, most of these TDE candidates have peak luminosities confined between log(L [erg s$^{-1}$]) = 43.4-44.4, with constant temperatures of a few $\times 10^{4}$ K during their power-law declines, implying blackbody radii on the order of ten times the tidal disruption radius, that decrease monotonically with time. For TDE candidates with hydrogen and helium emission, the high helium-to-hydrogen ratios suggest that the emission arises from high-density gas, where nebular arguments break down. We find no correlation between the peak luminosity and the black hole mass, contrary to the expectations for TDEs to have $\dot{M} \propto M_{\rm BH}^{-1/2}$., Comment: 17 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

We present ground-based and \textit{Swift} observations of iPTF16fnl, a likely tidal disruption event (TDE) discovered by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) survey at 66.6 Mpc. The lightcurve of the object peaked at absolute $M_g=-17.2$ mag. The maximum bolometric luminosity (from optical and UV) was $L_p~\simeq~(1.0\,\pm\,0.15) \times 10^{43}$ erg/s, an order of magnitude fainter than any other optical TDE discovered so far. The luminosity in the first 60 days is consistent with an exponential decay, with $L \propto e^{-(t-t_0)/\tau}$, where $t_0$=~57631.0 (MJD) and $\tau\simeq 15$ days. The X-ray shows a marginal detection at $L_X=2.4^{1.9}_{-1.1}\times 10^{39}$ erg/s (\textit{Swift} X-ray Telescope). No radio counterpart was detected down to 3$\sigma$, providing upper limits for monochromatic radio luminosity of $\nu L_{\nu} < 2.3\times10^{36}$ erg/s and $\nu L_{\nu}<1.7\times 10^{37}$ erg/s (VLA, 6.1 and 22 GHz). The blackbody temperature, obtained from combined \textit{Swift} UV and optical photometry, shows a constant value of 19,000 K. The transient spectrum at peak is characterized by broad He II and H$\alpha$ emission lines, with an FWHM of about 14,000 km/s and 10,000 km/s respectively. He I lines are also detected at $\lambda\lambda$ 5875 and 6678. The spectrum of the host is dominated by strong Balmer absorption lines, which are consistent with a post-starburst (E+A) galaxy with an age of $\sim$650 Myr and solar metallicity. The characteristics of iPTF16fnl make it an outlier on both luminosity and decay timescales, as compared to other optically selected TDEs. The discovery of such a faint optical event suggests a higher rate of tidal disruptions, as low luminosity events may have gone unnoticed in previous searches., Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Pan-STARRS1 has carried out a set of distinct synoptic imaging sky surveys including the $3\pi$ Steradian Survey and the Medium Deep Survey in 5 bands ($grizy_{P1}$). The mean 5$\sigma$ point source limiting sensitivities in the stacked 3$\pi$ Steradian Survey in $grizy_{P1}$ are (23.3, 23.2, 23.1, 22.3, 21.4) respectively. The upper bound on the systematic uncertainty in the photometric calibration across the sky is 7-12 millimag depending on the bandpass. The systematic uncertainty of the astrometric calibration using the Gaia frame comes from a comparison of the results with Gaia: the standard deviation of the mean and median residuals ($ \Delta ra, \Delta dec $) are (2.3, 1.7) milliarcsec, and (3.1, 4.8) milliarcsec respectively. The Pan-STARRS system and the design of the PS1 surveys are described and an overview of the resulting image and catalog data products and their basic characteristics are described together with a summary of important results. The images, reduced data products, and derived data products from the Pan-STARRS1 surveys are available to the community from the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) at STScI., Comment: 38 pages, 29 figures, 12 tables

We present a radio-quiet quasar at z=0.237 discovered "turning on" by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF). The transient, iPTF 16bco, was detected by iPTF in the nucleus of a galaxy with an archival SDSS spectrum with weak narrow-line emission characteristic of a low-ionization emission line region (LINER). Our follow-up spectra show the dramatic appearance of broad Balmer lines and a power-law continuum characteristic of a luminous (L_bol~10^45 erg/s) type 1 quasar 12 years later. Our photometric monitoring with PTF from 2009-2012, and serendipitous X-ray observations from the XMM-Newton Slew Survey in 2011 and 2015, constrain the change of state to have occurred less than 500 days before the iPTF detection. An enhanced broad Halpha to [OIII]5007 line ratio in the type 1 state relative to other changing-look quasars also is suggestive of the most rapid change of state yet observed in a quasar. We argue that the >10 increase in Eddington ratio inferred from the brightening in UV and X-ray continuum flux is more likely due to an intrinsic change in the accretion rate of a pre-existing accretion disk, than an external mechanism such as variable obscuration, microlensing, or the tidal disruption of a star. However, further monitoring will be helpful in better constraining the mechanism driving this change of state. The rapid "turn on" of the quasar is much shorter than the viscous infall timescale of an accretion disk, and requires a disk instability that can develop around a ~10^8 M_sun black hole on timescales less than a year., Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ

We present a systematic search for periodically varying quasars and supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) candidates in the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey's MD09 field. From a color-selected sample of 670 quasars extracted from a multi-band deep-stack catalog of point sources, we locally select variable quasars and look for coherent periods with the Lomb-Scargle periodogram. Three candidates from our sample demonstrate strong variability for more than ~3 cycles, and their PS1 light curves are well fitted to sinusoidal functions. We test the persistence of the candidates' apparent periodic variations detected during the 4.2 years of the PS1 survey with archival photometric data from the SDSS Stripe 82 survey or new monitoring with the Large Monolithic Imager at the Discovery Channel Telescope. None of the three periodic candidates (including PSO J334.2028+1.4075) remain persistent over the extended baseline of 7 - 14 years, corresponding to a detection rate of < 1 in 670 quasars in a search area of 5 deg^2. Even though SMBHBs should be a common product of the hierarchal growth of galaxies, and periodic variability in SMBHBs has been theoretically predicted, a systematic search for such signatures in a large optical survey is strongly limited by its temporal baseline and the "red noise" associated with normal quasar variability. We show that follow-up long-term monitoring (>5 cycles) is crucial to our search for these systems., Comment: ApJ in press

We analyze the wavelength-dependent variability of a sample of spectroscopically confirmed active galactic nuclei (AGN) selected from near-UV ($NUV$) variable sources in the GALEX Time Domain Survey that have a large amplitude of optical variability (difference-flux S/N $>$ 3) in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1 MDS). By matching GALEX and PS1 epochs in 5 bands ($NUV$, $g_{P1}$, $r_{P1}$, $i_{P1}$, $z_{P1}$) in time, and taking their flux difference, we create co-temporal difference-flux spectral energy distributions ($\Delta f$SEDs) using two chosen epochs for each of the 23 objects in our sample on timescales of about a year. We confirm the "bluer-when-brighter" trend reported in previous studies, and measure a median spectral index of the $\Delta f$SEDs of $\alpha_{\lambda}$ = 2.1 that is consistent with an accretion disk spectrum. We further fit the $\Delta f$SEDs of each source with a standard accretion disk model in which the accretion rate changes from one epoch to the other. In our sample, 17 out of 23 ($\sim$74 %) sources are well described by this variable accretion-rate disk model, with a median average characteristic disk temperature $\bar{T}^*$ of $1.2\times 10^5$~K that is consistent with the temperatures expected given the distribution of accretion rates and black hole masses inferred for the sample. Our analysis also shows that the variable accretion rate model is a better fit to the $\Delta f$SEDs than a simple power law., Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal September, 20, 2016

We analyze four extreme active galactic nuclei (AGN) transients to explore the possibility that they are caused by rare, high-amplitude microlensing events. These previously unknown type-I AGN are located in the redshift range 0.6-1.1 and show changes of > 1.5 mag in the g-band on a time-scale of ~years. Multi-epoch optical spectroscopy, from the William Herschel Telescope, shows clear differential variability in the broad line fluxes with respect to the continuum changes and also evolution in the line profiles. In two cases, a simple point-source, point-lens microlensing model provides an excellent match to the long-term variability seen in these objects. For both models, the parameter constraints are consistent with the microlensing being due to an intervening stellar mass object but as yet there is no confirmation of the presence of an intervening galaxy. The models predict a peak amplification of 10.3/13.5 and an Einstein time-scale of 7.5/10.8 yr, respectively. In one case, the data also allow constraints on the size of the CIII] emitting region, with some simplifying assumptions, to to be ~1.0-6.5 light-days and a lower limit on the size of the MgII emitting region to be > 9 light-days (half-light radii). This CIII] radius is perhaps surprisingly small. In the remaining two objects, there is spectroscopic evidence for an intervening absorber but the extra structure seen in the light curves requires a more complex lensing scenario to adequately explain., Comment: 23 pages, 17 figures; matches version published in MNRAS

We discuss 76 large amplitude transients (Delta-m>1.5) occurring in the nuclei of galaxies, nearly all with no previously known Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN). They have been discovered as part of the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) 3pi survey, by comparison with SDSS photometry a decade earlier, and then monitored with the Liverpool Telescope, and studied spectroscopically with the William Herschel Telescope (WHT). Based on colours, light curve shape, and spectra, these transients fall into four groups. A few are misclassified stars or objects of unknown type. Some are red/fast transients and are known or likely nuclear supernovae. A few are either radio sources or erratic variables and so likely blazars. However the majority (~66%) are blue and evolve slowly, on a timescale of years. Spectroscopy shows them to be AGN at z~ 0.3 - 1.4, which must have brightened since the SDSS photometry by around an order of magnitude. It is likely that these objects were in fact AGN a decade ago, but too weak to be recognised by SDSS; they could then be classed as "hypervariable" AGN. By searching the SDSS Stripe 82 quasar database, we find 15 similar objects. We discuss several possible explanations for these slow blue hypervariables - (i) unusually luminous tidal disruption events; (ii) extinction events; (iii) changes in accretion state; and (iv) large amplitude microlensing by stars in foreground galaxies. A mixture of explanations (iii) and (iv) seems most likely. Both hold promise of considerable new insight into the AGN phenomenon., Comment: MNRAS in press; accepted Aug 2016; 44 pages, 27 figures This is the revised (accepted) version after refereeing Originally submitted to MNRAS December 2015

We study the properties of 975 active galactic nuclei (AGN) selected by variability in the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey. Using complementary multi wavelength data from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared, we use SED fitting to determine the AGN and host properties at $z<1$, and compare to a well-matched control sample. We confirm the trend previously observed that the variability amplitude decreases with AGN luminosity, but on the other hand, we observe that the slope of this relation steepens with wavelength resulting in a "redder when brighter" trend at low luminosities. Our results show that AGN are hosted by more massive hosts than control sample galaxies, while the restframe, dust-corrected $NUV-r$ color distribution of AGN hosts is similar to control galaxies. We find a positive correlation between the AGN luminosity and star formation rate (SFR), independent of redshift. AGN hosts populate the whole range of SFRs within and outside the Main Sequence of star forming galaxies. Comparing the distribution of AGN hosts and control galaxies, we show that AGN hosts are less likely to be hosted by quiescent galaxies, but more likely to be hosted by Main Sequence or starburst galaxies., Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ

We apply a combination of a Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) machine learning algorithm to solve two important problems faced by the astronomical community: star/galaxy separation, and photometric redshift estimation of galaxies in survey catalogs. We use the GA to select the relevant features in the first step, followed by optimization of SVM parameters in the second step to obtain an optimal set of parameters to classify or regress, in process of which we avoid over-fitting. We apply our method to star/galaxy separation in Pan-STARRS1 data. We show that our method correctly classifies 98% of objects down to i_P1= 24.5, with a completeness (or true positive rate) of 99% for galaxies, and 88% for stars. By combining colors with morphology, our star/classification method yields better results than the new SExtractor classifier spread_model in particular at the faint end (i_P1>22). We also use our method to derive photometric redshifts for galaxies in the COSMOS bright multi-wavelength dataset down to an error in (1+z) of sigma=0.013, which compares well with estimates from SED fitting on the same data (sigma=0.007) while making a significantly smaller number of assumptions., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 11 pages, 7 figures, 1 appendix

We present late-time observations of the tidal disruption event candidate PS1-10jh. UV and optical imaging with HST/WFC3 localize the transient to be coincident with the host galaxy nucleus to an accuracy of 0.023 arcsec, corresponding to 66 pc. The UV flux in the F225W filter, measured 3.35 rest-frame years after the peak of the nuclear flare, is consistent with a decline that continues to follow a $t^{-5/3}$ power-law with no spectral evolution. Late epochs of optical spectroscopy obtained with MMT ~ 2 and 4 years after the peak, enable a clean subtraction of the host galaxy from the early spectra, revealing broad helium emission lines on top of a hot continuum, and placing stringent upper limits on the presence of hydrogen line emission. We do not measure Balmer H\delta absorption in the host galaxy strong enough to be indicative of a rare, post-starburst "E+A" galaxy as reported by Arcavi et al. (2014). The light curve of PS1-10jh over a baseline of 3.5 yr is best modeled by fallback accretion of a tidally disrupted star. Its strong broad helium emission relative to hydrogen (He II \lambda 4686/H\alpha > 5) could be indicative of either the hydrogen-poor chemical composition of the disrupted star, or certain conditions in the tidal debris of a solar-composition star in the presence of an optically-thick, extended reprocessing envelope., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

We present the GALEX detection of a UV burst at the time of explosion of an optically normal Type II-P supernova (PS1-13arp) from the Pan-STARRS1 survey at z=0.1665. The temperature and luminosity of the UV burst match the theoretical predictions for shock breakout in a red supergiant, but with a duration a factor of ~50 longer than expected. We compare the $NUV$ light curve of PS1-13arp to previous GALEX detections of Type IIP SNe, and find clear distinctions that indicate that the UV emission is powered by shock breakout, and not by the subsequent cooling envelope emission previously detected in these systems. We interpret the ~ 1 d duration of the UV signal with a shock breakout in the wind of a red supergiant with a pre-explosion mass-loss rate of ~ 10^-3 Msun yr^-1. This mass-loss rate is enough to prolong the duration of the shock breakout signal, but not enough to produce an excess in the optical plateau light curve or narrow emission lines powered by circumstellar interaction. This detection of non-standard, potentially episodic high mass-loss in a RSG SN progenitor has favorable consequences for the prospects of future wide-field UV surveys to detect shock breakout directly in these systems, and provide a sensitive probe of the pre-explosion conditions of SN progenitors., Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ

We present a novel method for the light-curve characterization of Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1 MDS) extragalactic sources into stochastic variables (SV) and burst-like (BL) transients, using multi-band image-differencing time-series data. We select detections in difference images associated with galaxy hosts using a star/galaxy catalog extracted from the deep PS1 MDS stacked images, and adopt a maximum a posteriori formulation to model their difference-flux time-series in four Pan-STARRS1 photometric bands g,r,i, and z. We use three deterministic light-curve models to fit burst-like transients and one stochastic light curve model, the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, in order to fit variability that is characteristic of active galactic nuclei (AGN). We assess the quality of fit of the models band-wise source-wise, using their estimated leave-out-one cross-validation likelihoods and corrected Akaike information criteria. We then apply a K-means clustering algorithm on these statistics, to determine the source classification in each band. The final source classification is derived as a combination of the individual filter classifications. We use our clustering method to characterize 4361 extragalactic image difference detected sources in the first 2.5 years of the PS1 MDS, into 1529 BL, and 2262 SV, with a purity of 95.00% for AGN, and 90.97% for SN based on our verification sets. We combine our light-curve classifications with their nuclear or off-nuclear host galaxy offsets, to define a robust photometric sample of 1233 active galactic nuclei and 812 supernovae. We use these samples to identify simple photometric priors that would enable their real-time identification in future wide-field synoptic surveys., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

The Large Observatory For x-ray Timing (LOFT) was studied within ESA M3 Cosmic Vision framework and participated in the final down-selection for a launch slot in 2022-2024. Thanks to the unprecedented combination of effective area and spectral resolution of its main instrument, LOFT will study the behaviour of matter under extreme conditions, such as the strong gravitational field in the innermost regions of accretion flows close to black holes and neutron stars, and the supra-nuclear densities in the interior of neutron stars. The science payload is based on a Large Area Detector (LAD, 10 m 2 effective area, 2-30 keV, 240 eV spectral resolution, 1 deg collimated field of view) and a WideField Monitor (WFM, 2-50 keV, 4 steradian field of view, 1 arcmin source location accuracy, 300 eV spectral resolution). The WFM is equipped with an on-board system for bright events (e.g. GRB) localization. The trigger time and position of these events are broadcast to the ground within 30 s from discovery. In this paper we present the status of the mission at the end of its Phase A study., Comment: Proc. SPIE 9144, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 91442T

In the past decade, several rapidly-evolving transients have been discovered whose timescales and luminosities are not easily explained by traditional supernovae (SN) models. The sample size of these objects has remained small due, at least in part, to the challenge of detecting short timescale transients with traditional survey cadences. Here we present the results from a search within the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1-MDS) for rapidly-evolving and luminous transients. We identify 10 new transients with a time above half-maximum of less than 12 days and -16.5 > M > -20 mag. This increases the number of known events in this region of SN phase space by roughly a factor of three. The median redshift of the PS1-MDS sample is z=0.275 and they all exploded in star forming galaxies. In general, the transients possess faster rise than decline timescale and blue colors at maximum light (g - r < -0.2). Best fit blackbodies reveal photospheric temperatures/radii that expand/cool with time and explosion spectra taken near maximum light are dominated by a blue continuum, consistent with a hot, optically thick, ejecta. We find it difficult to reconcile the short timescale, high peak luminosity (L > 10^43 erg/s), and lack of UV line blanketing observed in many of these transients with an explosion powered mainly by the radioactive decay of Ni-56. Rather, we find that many are consistent with either (1) cooling envelope emission from the explosion of a star with a low-mass extended envelope which ejected very little (<0.03 M_sun) radioactive material, or (2) a shock breakout within a dense, optically thick, wind surrounding the progenitor star. After calculating the detection efficiency for objects with rapid timescales in the PS1-MDS we find a volumetric rate of 4800 - 8000 events/yr/Gpc^3 (4-7% of the core-collapse SN rate at z=0.2)., Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ