Radio and X-ray flux rebrightening six years after outburst in a partially-obscured extreme changing-look AGN
部分遮蔽的极端变脸活动星系核在爆发六年后射电和X射线流量再增亮
SDSS J1548+2208 is a unique partially-obscured nuclear transient that exhibits multiwavelength outbursts in mid-infrared, X-ray and radio. We present the results from multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic follow-up observations with a time span of ~2500 days since its discovery. We find that the mid-infrared and X-ray emission (with a hard X-ray spectrum) are still in a high flux level relative to the pre-flare state, suggesting a sudden increased, and possibly long-sustained accreting activity from central black hole. This is supported by the slowly-evolving high-ionization coronal lines. The mid-infrared color turns blue slowly in the rising phase, which is distinct from stellar tidal disruption events (TDEs). All these properties point to the origin of outbursts from an extreme changing-look AGN and the scenario with a normal TDE seems disfavored. The radio spectral energy distribution (SED) in ~0.65-15 GHz is unusual, displaying a double-peak feature with distinct variability characteristics. In addition, we find evidence for the late-time radio rebrightening more than six years since the initial outburst, as well as a possibly new X-ray flare, though the significance for the latter is not high. The peculiar radio flux and SED evolution could be explained by a nascent outflow expanding into and shocking circumnuclear diffuse medium filled by denser clouds. In this case, SDSS J1548+2208 represents a rare changing-look AGN which can launch radio outflows. Continued multiwavelength observations are required to map the dust and gas distribution on pc-scales, providing new insights into the environmental properties that could regulate AGN changing-look phenomenon.
展开 ▾首次在变脸AGN中观测到爆发后约六年的射电和X射线流量显著再增亮;射电谱呈罕见的双峰结构,为外流冲击环核致密云提供了观测证据。
SDSS J1548+2208最初由 Jiang+ 2021 在中红外核暂现源巡天中发现,并被 Somalwar+ 2022 作为射电暂现源报道,但其本质(TDE或极端AGN耀发)未定。本文通过长期多波段监测,利用 Yao+ 2025 的中红外颜色变化率方法以及极长的X射线上升时标(与 Guolo+ 2024 的TDE样本不符)排除了TDE,确认为部分遮蔽的极端变脸AGN。射电谱双峰和晚时再增亮可用外流冲击环核致密云团解释,类似 Mou and Shu 2025 和 Zhuang+ 2025 的数值模拟预测,表明射电外流可在变脸AGN中产生。未来亚秒差距尺度上的尘埃和气体分布成像有望揭示驱动变脸现象的环境因素。
预印本 2026-07-13 · 接收 2026-06-03 · 刊出 2026-07-10 · 收录 2026-07-18