Swift J1644+57: An Ultra-luminous X-Ray Event
Abstract
The photon spectral energy distribution of the powerful transient Sw J1644+57 resembles those of the brightest ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs). The transient nature of Sw J1644+57 is likely the result of a tidal disruption of a star by a supermassive black hole. The stellar disk generates accretion power at super-Eddington rates and the observational properties of Sw J1644+57 indicate—in analogy with ULXs—that the accretion flow maintains a high level of radiative efficiency with a corresponding super-Eddington luminosity. Due to its similarity to ULXs, this powerful transient may be thought of as an ultra-luminous X-ray event (ULX-E). Observational tests for this ULX-E model are proposed as well.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/756/1/L1
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1105.2557
- Bibcode:
- 2012ApJ...756L...1S
- Keywords:
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- accretion;
- accretion disks;
- black hole physics;
- relativistic processes;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- ApJL accepted