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Detecting tidal disruption events of massive black holes in normal galaxies with the Einstein Probe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2016

W. Yuan ,
S. Komossa ,
C. Zhang ,
H. Feng ,
Z.-X. Ling ,
D.H. Zhao ,
S.-N. Zhang ,
J.P. Osborne ,
P. O'Brien  and
R. Willingale
...Show all authors
W. Yuan
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing, 100012, China email: wmy@nao.cas.cn
S. Komossa
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing, 100012, China email: wmy@nao.cas.cn Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
C. Zhang
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing, 100012, China email: wmy@nao.cas.cn
H. Feng
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Z.-X. Ling
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing, 100012, China email: wmy@nao.cas.cn
D.H. Zhao
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing, 100012, China email: wmy@nao.cas.cn
S.-N. Zhang
Affiliation:
Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
J.P. Osborne
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
P. O'Brien
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
R. Willingale
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
J. Lapington
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
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Abstract

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Stars are tidally disrupted and accreted when they approach massive black holes (MBHs) closely, producing a flare of electromagnetic radiation. The majority of the (approximately two dozen) tidal disruption events (TDEs) identified so far have been discovered by their luminous, transient X-ray emission. Once TDEs are detected in much larger numbers, in future dedicated transient surveys, a wealth of new applications will become possible. Here, we present the proposed Einstein Probe mission, which is a dedicated time-domain soft X-ray all-sky monitor aiming at detecting X-ray transients including TDEs in large numbers. The mission consists of a wide-field micro-pore Lobster-eye imager (60° × 60°), and is designed to carry out an all-sky transient survey at energies of 0.5-4 keV. It will also carry a more sensitive telescope for X-ray follow-ups, and will be capable of issuing public transient alerts rapidly. Einstein Probe is expected to revolutionise the field of TDE research by detecting several tens to hundreds of events per year from the early phase of flares, many with long-term, well sampled lightcurves.

Keywords

black hole physicsX-rays: burstsX-rays: generalspace vehicles: instruments
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 10 , Issue S312: Star Clusters and Black Holes in Galaxies across Cosmic Time , August 2014 , pp. 68 - 70
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2016 

References

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