TY - JOUR

T1 - Radio Properties of Tidal Disruption Events

AU - Alexander, Kate D.

AU - van Velzen, Sjoert

AU - Horesh, Assaf

AU - Zauderer, B. Ashley

PY - 2020/6/29

Y1 - 2020/6/29

N2 - Radio observations of tidal disruption events (TDEs) probe material ejected by the disruption of stars by supermassive black holes (SMBHs), uniquely tracing the formation and evolution of jets and outflows, revealing details of the disruption hydrodynamics, and illuminating the environments around previously-dormant SMBHs. To date, observations reveal a surprisingly diverse population. A small fraction of TDEs (at most a few percent) have been observed to produce radio-luminous mildly relativistic jets. The remainder of the population are radio quiet, producing less luminous jets, non-relativistic outflows or, possibly, no radio emission at all. Here, we review the radio observations that have been made of TDEs to date and discuss possible explanations for their properties, focusing on detected sources and, in particular, on the two best-studied events: SwJ1644+57 and ASASSN-14li. We also discuss what we have learned about the host galaxies of TDEs from radio observations and review constraints on the rates of bright and faint radio outflows in TDEs. Upcoming X-ray, optical, near-IR, and radio surveys will greatly expand the sample of TDEs, and technological advances open the exciting possibility of discovering a sample of TDEs in the radio band unbiased by host galaxy extinction.

AB - Radio observations of tidal disruption events (TDEs) probe material ejected by the disruption of stars by supermassive black holes (SMBHs), uniquely tracing the formation and evolution of jets and outflows, revealing details of the disruption hydrodynamics, and illuminating the environments around previously-dormant SMBHs. To date, observations reveal a surprisingly diverse population. A small fraction of TDEs (at most a few percent) have been observed to produce radio-luminous mildly relativistic jets. The remainder of the population are radio quiet, producing less luminous jets, non-relativistic outflows or, possibly, no radio emission at all. Here, we review the radio observations that have been made of TDEs to date and discuss possible explanations for their properties, focusing on detected sources and, in particular, on the two best-studied events: SwJ1644+57 and ASASSN-14li. We also discuss what we have learned about the host galaxies of TDEs from radio observations and review constraints on the rates of bright and faint radio outflows in TDEs. Upcoming X-ray, optical, near-IR, and radio surveys will greatly expand the sample of TDEs, and technological advances open the exciting possibility of discovering a sample of TDEs in the radio band unbiased by host galaxy extinction.

KW - accretion

KW - accretion disks

KW - black hole physics

KW - galaxies: nuclei

KW - radiation mechanisms: non-thermal

KW - radio continuum: galaxies

KW - relativistic processes

KW - LATE-TIME OBSERVATIONS

KW - GAMMA-RAY BURST

KW - LONG-TERM RADIO

KW - RELATIVISTIC JET

KW - BLACK-HOLES

KW - EMISSION

KW - AFTERGLOW

KW - CANDIDATE

KW - VARIABILITY

KW - TRANSIENTS

U2 - 10.1007/s11214-020-00702-w

DO - 10.1007/s11214-020-00702-w

M3 - Review

VL - 216

JO - Space Science Reviews

JF - Space Science Reviews

SN - 0038-6308

IS - 5

M1 - 81

ER -