AT 2018dyk: tidal disruption event or active galactic nucleus? Follow-up observations of an extreme coronal line emitter with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument
ABSTRACT We present fresh insights into the nature of the tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate AT 2018dyk. AT 2018dyk has sparked a debate in the literature around its classification as either a bona-fide TDE or as an active galactic nucleus (AGN) turn-on state change. A new follow-up spectrum taken with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, in combination with host-galaxy analysis using archival SDSS–MaNGA data, supports the identification of AT 2018dyk as a TDE. Specifically, we classify this object as a TDE that occurred within a gas-rich environment, which was responsible for both its mid-infrared (MIR) outburst and development of Fe coronal emission lines. Comparison with the known sample of TDE-linked extreme coronal line emitters (TDE-ECLEs) and other TDEs displaying coronal emission lines (CrL-TDEs) reveals similar characteristics and shared properties. For example, the MIR properties of both groups appear to form a continuum with links to the content and density of the material in their local environments. This includes evidence for a MIR colour–luminosity relationship in TDEs occurring within such gas-rich environments, with those with larger MIR outbursts also exhibiting redder peaks.
Authors
- D. Brooks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8458-5047)
- S. Juneau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0000-2394)
- Michael S. Schubnell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9504-2059)
- Gregory Tarlé (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1704-0781)
- Laurent Le Guillou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7178-8868)
- David Sprayberry (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-6441)
- Ignasi Pérez-Ràfols (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6979-0125)
- Axel de la Macorra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1769-1640)
- J. A. Callow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0804-9533)
- Martin Landriau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1838-8528)
- Or Graur (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4391-6137)
- J. Aguilar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0822-452X)
- P. Clark (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6576-7400)
- Eusebio Sanchez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9646-8198)
- Satya Gontcho A Gontcho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3142-233X)
- K. Honscheid (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6550-2023)
- Claire Greenwell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7719-5809)
- Steven P. Ahlen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6098-7247)
- Lei Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9124-5411)
- Aaron Meisner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1125-7384)
- Davide Bianchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9712-0006)
- R. Miquel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6610-4836)
- Theodore S. Kisner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3510-7134)
- R. Kehoe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7101-697X)
- John Moustakas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2733-4559)
- Kyle Dawson
- Hu Zou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6684-3997)
- T. Claybaugh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5024-6987)
- Benjamin A. Weaver
- P. Doel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6397-4457)
- Gaston Gutierrez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0825-0517)
Institutions
- Boston University (US)
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (US)
- American Museum of Natural History (US)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US)
- State Street (United States) (US)
- Southern Methodist University (US)
- Institute for High Energy Physics (ES)
- University of Milan (IT)
- Durham University (GB)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- University of Utah (US)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies (FR)
- Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules (FR)
- Community Science and Data Center (US)
- NSF NOIRLab (US)
- National Astronomical Observatories (CN)
- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (ES)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- The Ohio State University (US)
- University of Portsmouth (GB)
- Carnegie Mellon University (US)
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
- Siena College (US)
- Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Published
- 2025-05-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf724
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.77
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Smithsonian Institution
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Yale University
- Carnegie Institution of Washington
- Vanderbilt University
- Ohio State University
- University of Utah
- University of Washington
- Johns Hopkins University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Portsmouth
- New Mexico State University
- Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
- York University
- University of Oxford
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
- Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik
- Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
- Office of Science
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Leibniz-Gemeinschaft
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- Division of Astronomical Sciences
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory