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

A. J. Levan; N. R. Tanvir; S. B. Cenko; D. A. Perley; K. Wiersema; J. S. Bloom; A. S. Fruchter; A. De Ugarte Postigo; P. T. O'Brien; N. Butler; A. J. Van Der Horst; G. Leloudas; A. N. Morgan; K. Misra; G. C. Bower; J. Farihi; R. L. Tunnicliffe; M. Modjaz; J. M. Silverman; J. Hjorth; C. Thöne; A. Cucchiara; J. M. Castro Cerón; 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; A. J. Romanowsky; R. Sánchez-Ramírez; S. Schulze; N. Singh; L. Van Spaandonk; R. L.C. Starling; R. G. Strom; J. C. Tello; O. Vaduvescu; P. J. Wheatley; R. A.M.J. Wijers; J. M. Winters; D. Xu

doi:10.1126/science.1207143

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

A. J. Levan, N. R. Tanvir, S. B. Cenko, D. A. Perley, K. Wiersema, J. S. Bloom, A. S. Fruchter, A. De Ugarte Postigo, P. T. O'Brien, N. Butler, A. J. Van Der Horst, G. Leloudas, A. N. Morgan, K. Misra, G. C. Bower, J. Farihi, R. L. Tunnicliffe, M. Modjaz, J. M. Silverman, J. HjorthC. Thöne, A. Cucchiara, J. M. Castro Cerón, 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, A. J. Romanowsky, R. Sánchez-Ramírez, S. Schulze, N. Singh, L. Van Spaandonk, R. L.C. Starling, R. G. Strom, J. C. Tello, O. Vaduvescu, P. J. Wheatley, R. A.M.J. Wijers, J. M. Winters, D. Xu

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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.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	199-202
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	333
Issue number	6039
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207143
State	Published - Jul 8 2011
Externally published	Yes

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Levan, A. J., Tanvir, N. R., Cenko, S. B., Perley, D. A., Wiersema, K., Bloom, J. S., Fruchter, A. S., De Ugarte Postigo, A., O'Brien, P. T., Butler, N., Van Der Horst, A. J., Leloudas, G., Morgan, A. N., Misra, K., Bower, G. C., Farihi, J., Tunnicliffe, R. L., Modjaz, M., Silverman, J. M., ... Xu, D. (2011). An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy. Science, 333(6039), 199-202. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207143

Levan, AJ, Tanvir, NR, Cenko, SB, Perley, DA, Wiersema, K, Bloom, JS, Fruchter, AS, De Ugarte Postigo, A, O'Brien, PT, Butler, N, Van Der Horst, AJ, Leloudas, G, Morgan, AN, Misra, K, Bower, GC, Farihi, J, Tunnicliffe, RL, Modjaz, M, Silverman, JM, Hjorth, J, Thöne, C, Cucchiara, A, Castro Cerón, JM, Castro-Tirado, AJ, Arnold, JA, Bremer, M, Brodie, JP, Carroll, T, Cooper, MC, Curran, PA, Cutri, RM, Ehle, J, Forbes, D, Fynbo, J, Gorosabel, J, Graham, J, Hoffman, DI, Guziy, S, Jakobsson, P, Kamble, A, Kerr, T, Kasliwal, MM, Kouveliotou, C, Kocevski, D, Law, NM, Nugent, PE, Ofek, EO, Poznanski, D, Quimby, RM, Rol, E, Romanowsky, AJ, Sánchez-Ramírez, R, Schulze, S, Singh, N, Van Spaandonk, L, Starling, RLC, Strom, RG, Tello, JC, Vaduvescu, O, Wheatley, PJ, Wijers, RAMJ, Winters, JM & Xu, D 2011, 'An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy', Science, vol. 333, no. 6039, pp. 199-202. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207143

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title = "An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy",

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.",

author = "Levan, {A. J.} and Tanvir, {N. R.} and Cenko, {S. B.} and Perley, {D. A.} and K. Wiersema and Bloom, {J. S.} and Fruchter, {A. S.} and {De Ugarte Postigo}, A. and O'Brien, {P. T.} and N. Butler and {Van Der Horst}, {A. J.} and G. Leloudas and Morgan, {A. N.} and K. Misra and Bower, {G. C.} and J. Farihi and Tunnicliffe, {R. L.} and M. Modjaz and Silverman, {J. M.} and J. Hjorth and C. Th{\"o}ne and A. Cucchiara and {Castro Cer{\'o}n}, {J. M.} and Castro-Tirado, {A. J.} and Arnold, {J. A.} and M. Bremer and Brodie, {J. P.} and T. Carroll and Cooper, {M. C.} and Curran, {P. A.} and Cutri, {R. M.} and J. Ehle and D. Forbes and J. Fynbo and J. Gorosabel and J. Graham and Hoffman, {D. I.} and S. Guziy and P. Jakobsson and A. Kamble and T. Kerr and Kasliwal, {M. M.} and C. Kouveliotou and D. Kocevski and Law, {N. M.} and Nugent, {P. E.} and Ofek, {E. O.} and D. Poznanski and Quimby, {R. M.} and E. Rol and Romanowsky, {A. J.} and R. S{\'a}nchez-Ram{\'i}rez and S. Schulze and N. Singh and {Van Spaandonk}, L. and Starling, {R. L.C.} and Strom, {R. G.} and Tello, {J. C.} and O. Vaduvescu and Wheatley, {P. J.} and Wijers, {R. A.M.J.} and Winters, {J. M.} and D. Xu",

year = "2011",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.1126/science.1207143",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "333",

pages = "199--202",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy

AU - Levan, A. J.

AU - Tanvir, N. R.

AU - Cenko, S. B.

AU - Perley, D. A.

AU - Wiersema, K.

AU - Bloom, J. S.

AU - Fruchter, A. S.

AU - De Ugarte Postigo, A.

AU - O'Brien, P. T.

AU - Butler, N.

AU - Van Der Horst, A. J.

AU - Leloudas, G.

AU - Morgan, A. N.

AU - Misra, K.

AU - Bower, G. C.

AU - Farihi, J.

AU - Tunnicliffe, R. L.

AU - Modjaz, M.

AU - Silverman, J. M.

AU - Hjorth, J.

AU - Thöne, C.

AU - Cucchiara, A.

AU - Castro Cerón, J. M.

AU - Castro-Tirado, A. J.

AU - Arnold, J. A.

AU - Bremer, M.

AU - Brodie, J. P.

AU - Carroll, T.

AU - Cooper, M. C.

AU - Curran, P. A.

AU - Cutri, R. M.

AU - Ehle, J.

AU - Forbes, D.

AU - Fynbo, J.

AU - Gorosabel, J.

AU - Graham, J.

AU - Hoffman, D. I.

AU - Guziy, S.

AU - Jakobsson, P.

AU - Kamble, A.

AU - Kerr, T.

AU - Kasliwal, M. M.

AU - Kouveliotou, C.

AU - Kocevski, D.

AU - Law, N. M.

AU - Nugent, P. E.

AU - Ofek, E. O.

AU - Poznanski, D.

AU - Quimby, R. M.

AU - Rol, E.

AU - Romanowsky, A. J.

AU - Sánchez-Ramírez, R.

AU - Schulze, S.

AU - Singh, N.

AU - Van Spaandonk, L.

AU - Starling, R. L.C.

AU - Strom, R. G.

AU - Tello, J. C.

AU - Vaduvescu, O.

AU - Wheatley, P. J.

AU - Wijers, R. A.M.J.

AU - Winters, J. M.

AU - Xu, D.

PY - 2011/7/8

Y1 - 2011/7/8

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

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U2 - 10.1126/science.1207143

DO - 10.1126/science.1207143

M3 - Article

C2 - 21680811

AN - SCOPUS:79960080590

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 333

SP - 199

EP - 202

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6039

ER -

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

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