Accretion

The Tidal Disruption Event AT2021ehb: Evidence of Relativistic Disk Reflection, and Rapid Evolution of the Disk-Corona System

We present X-ray, UV, optical, and radio observations of the nearby (≈78 Mpc) tidal disruption event AT2021ehb/ZTF21aanxhjv during its first 430 days of evolution. AT2021ehb occurs in the nucleus of a galaxy hosting a≈10$^7$ M $_ødot$ black hole (M …

The Broad Absorption Line Tidal Disruption Event iPTF15af: Optical and Ultraviolet Evolution

A Continuum of H- to He-rich Tidal Disruption Candidates With a Preference for E+A Galaxies

We present the results of a Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) archival search for blue transients that lie in the magnitude range between ``normal'' core-collapse and superluminous supernovae (i.e., with -21 <= M $_ R (peak)$ <= - 19). Of the six …

Five new outbursting AM CVn systems discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory

We present five new outbursting AM CVn systems and one candidate discovered as part of an ongoing search for such systems using the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). This is the first large- area, systematic search for AM CVn systems using only large- …

Swift J2058.4+0516: Discovery of a Possible Second Relativistic Tidal Disruption Flare?

We report the discovery by the Swift hard X-ray monitor of the transient source Swift J2058.4+0516 (Sw J2058+05). Our multi-wavelength follow-up campaign uncovered a long-lived (duration >åisebox-0.5ex months), luminous X-ray (L $_X, iso$ ≈ 3 × …

PTF10iya: a short-lived, luminous flare from the nuclear region of a star-forming galaxy

We present the discovery and characterization of PTF10iya, a short-lived (Δt≈ 10 d, with an optical decay rate of ̃0.3 mag d$^-1$), luminous (? mag) transient source found by the Palomar Transient Factory. The ultraviolet/optical spectral energy …

PTF1 J071912.13+485834.0: An Outbursting AM CVn System Discovered by a Synoptic Survey

We present extensive photometric and spectroscopic observations of PTF1 J071912.13+485834.0, an outbursting AM CVn system discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). AM CVn systems are stellar binaries with some of the smallest separations …

The double-peaked 2008 outburst of the accreting milli-second X-ray pulsar, IGR J00291+5934

Context. In August 2008, the accreting milli-second X-ray pulsar (AMXP), IGR J00291+5934, underwent an outburst lasting åisebox-0.5ex 100 days, the first since its discovery in 2004. Aims: We present data from the 2008 double-peaked outburst of IGR …

The Quasar SDSS J1536+0441: An Unusual Double-peaked Emitter

The quasar SDSS J153636.22+044127.0, exhibiting peculiar broad emission- line profiles with multiple components, was proposed as a candidate sub-parsec binary supermassive black hole system. More recently, imaging revealed two spatially distinct …

Observations of the 599 Hz Accreting X-Ray Pulsar IGR J00291+5934 during the 2004 Outburst and in Quiescence

We report on optical and near-infrared observations obtained during and after the 2004 December discovery outburst of the X-ray transient and accretion-powered millisecond pulsar IGR J00291+5934. Our observations monitored the evolution of the …