An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy

Authors

• A. J. Levan, University of Warwick
• N. R. Tanvir, University of Leicester
• S. B. Cenko, University of California, Berkeley
• D. A. Perley, University of California, Berkeley
• K. Wiersema, University of Leicester
• J. S. Bloom, University of California, Berkeley
• A. S. Fruchter, Space Telescope Science Institute
• A. de Urgarte Postigo, University of Copenhagen
• P. T. Butler, University of California, Berkeley
• A. J. van der Horst, Universities Space Research Association
• G. Leloudas, University of Copenhagen
• A. N. Morgan, University of California, Berkeley
• K. Misra, Space Telescope Science Institute
• G. C. Bower, University of California, Berkeley
• J. Farihi, University of Leicester
• R. L. Tunnicliffe, University of Warwick
• A. N. Morgan, University of California, Berkeley
• K. Misra, Space Telescope Science Institute
• G. C. Bower, University of California, Berkeley
• J. Farihi, University of Leicester
• R. L. Tunnicliffe, University of Warwick
• M. Modjaz, Columbia University
• J. M. Silverman, University of California, Berkeley
• J. Hjorth, Universities Space Research Association
• C. Thone, Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía–Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
• A. Cucchiara, University of California, Berkeley
• J. M. Castro-Ceron, Herschel Science Operations Centre, European Space Astronomy Centre
• A. J. Castro-Tirado, Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía–Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
• J. A. Arnold, University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory
• M. Bremer, Domaine Universitaire
• J. P. Brodie, University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory
• T. Carroll, Joint Astronomy Center
• M. C. Cooper, University of California, Irvine
• P. A. Curran, Astrophysique Interactions Multi-échelles, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique/Direction des Sciences de la Matière–CNRS
• R. M. Cutri, California Institute of Technology
• J. Ehle, Joint Astronomy Center
• D. Forbes, Swinburne University
• J. Fynbo, University of Copenhagen
• J. Gorosabel, Glorieta de la Astronomía
• J. Graham, Johns Hopkins University
• D. I. Hoffman, California Institute of Technology
• S. Guziy, Glorieta de la Astronomía
• P. Jakobsson, University of Iceland
• A. Kamble, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• T. Kerr, Joint Astronomy Center
• M. M. Kasliwal, California Institute of Technology
• C. Kouveliotou, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville
• D. Kocevski, University of California, Santa Cruz
• N. M. Law, University of Toronto
• P. E. Nugent, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• E. O. Ofek, California Institute of Technology
• D. Poznanski, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• R. M. Quimby, California Institute of Technology
• E. Rol, University of Amsterdam
• Aaron J. Romanowsky, San Jose State UniversityFollow
• R. Sanchez-Ramirez, Glorieta de la Astronomía
• S. Schulze, University of Iceland
• N. Singh, University of Amsterdam
• L. van Spaandonk, University of Hertfordshire
• R.L.C. Starling, University of Leicester
• R. G. Strom, University of Amsterdam
• J. C. Tello, Glorieta de la Astronomía
• O. Vaduvescu, Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
• P. J. Wheatley, University of Warwick
• J. M. Winters, Domaine Universitaire
• R.A.M.J. Wijers, University of Amsterdam
• D. Xu, Weizmann Institute of Science

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2011

Publication Title

Science

Volume

333

Issue Number

6039

First Page

199

Last Page

202

DOI

10.1126/science.1207143

Disciplines

Astrophysics and Astronomy

Abstract

Variable x-ray and γ-ray emission is characteristic of the most extreme physical processes in the universe. We present multiwavelength observations of a unique γ-ray–selected transient detected by the Swift satellite, accompanied by bright emission across the electromagnetic spectrum, and whose properties are unlike any previously observed source. We pinpoint the event to the center of a small, star-forming galaxy at redshift z = 0.3534. Its high-energy emission has lasted much longer than any γ-ray burst, whereas its peak luminosity was ∼100 times higher than bright active galactic nuclei. The association of the outburst with the center of its host galaxy suggests that this phenomenon has its origin in a rare mechanism involving the massive black hole in the nucleus of that galaxy.

Comments

This is the author’s version of the work. It is posted here by permission of the AAAS for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Science on 333, 2011, DOI: 10.1126/science.1207143.

Recommended Citation

A. J. Levan, N. R. Tanvir, S. B. Cenko, D. A. Perley, K. Wiersema, J. S. Bloom, A. S. Fruchter, A. de Urgarte Postigo, P. T. Butler, A. J. van der Horst, G. Leloudas, A. N. Morgan, K. Misra, G. C. Bower, J. Farihi, R. L. Tunnicliffe, A. N. Morgan, K. Misra, G. C. Bower, J. Farihi, R. L. Tunnicliffe, M. Modjaz, J. M. Silverman, J. Hjorth, C. Thone, A. Cucchiara, J. M. Castro-Ceron, A. J. Castro-Tirado, J. A. Arnold, M. Bremer, J. P. Brodie, T. Carroll, M. C. Cooper, P. A. Curran, R. M. Cutri, J. Ehle, D. Forbes, J. Fynbo, J. Gorosabel, J. Graham, D. I. Hoffman, S. Guziy, P. Jakobsson, A. Kamble, T. Kerr, M. M. Kasliwal, C. Kouveliotou, D. Kocevski, N. M. Law, P. E. Nugent, E. O. Ofek, D. Poznanski, R. M. Quimby, E. Rol, Aaron J. Romanowsky, R. Sanchez-Ramirez, S. Schulze, N. Singh, L. van Spaandonk, R.L.C. Starling, R. G. Strom, J. C. Tello, O. Vaduvescu, P. J. Wheatley, J. M. Winters, R.A.M.J. Wijers, and D. Xu. "An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy" Science (2011): 199-202. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207143