J 2024

Lense–Thirring precession after a supermassive black hole disrupts a star

PASHAM, Dheeraj R., Michal ZAJAČEK, C. J. NIXON, Eric R. COUGHLIN, Marzena ŚNIEGOWSKA et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Lense–Thirring precession after a supermassive black hole disrupts a star

Authors

PASHAM, Dheeraj R. (guarantor), Michal ZAJAČEK (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), C. J. NIXON, Eric R. COUGHLIN, Marzena ŚNIEGOWSKA, Agnieszka JANIUK, Bożena CZERNY, Thomas WEVERS, Muryel GUOLO, Yukta AJAY and Michael LOEWENSTEIN

Edition

Nature, Springer, 2024, 0028-0836

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10308 Astronomy

Country of publisher

Germany

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 64.800 in 2022

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

UT WoS

001262392300025

Keywords in English

Compact astrophysical objects; General relativity and gravity; High-energy astrophysics; Transient astrophysical phenomena

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 30/7/2024 14:31, Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS.

Abstract

V originále

An accretion disk formed around a supermassive black hole after it disrupts a star is expected to be initially misaligned with respect to the equatorial plane of the black hole. This misalignment induces relativistic torques (the Lense–Thirring effect) on the disk, causing the disk to precess at early times, whereas at late times the disk aligns with the black hole and precession terminates1,2. Here we report, using high-cadence X-ray monitoring observations of a tidal disruption event (TDE), the discovery of strong, quasi-periodic X-ray flux and temperature modulations. These X-ray modulations are separated by roughly 15 days and persist for about 130 days during the early phase of the TDE. Lense–Thirring precession of the accretion flow can produce this X-ray variability, but other physical mechanisms, such as the radiation-pressure instability3,4, cannot be ruled out. Assuming typical TDE parameters, that is, a solar-like star with the resulting disk extending at most to the so-called circularization radius, and that the disk precesses as a rigid body, we constrain the disrupting dimensionless spin parameter of the black hole to be 0.05 ≲ ∣a∣ ≲ 0.5.

Links

GM24-10599M, research and development project
Name: Hvězdy v galaktických jádrech: vzájemný vztah s masivními černými dírami
Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Stars in galactic nuclei: interrelation with massive black holes