Stream–disk shocks as the origins of peak light in tidal disruption events
Tidal disruption events (TDEs) occur when stars are ripped apart1,2 by massive black holes and result in highly luminous, multi-wavelength flares3–5. Optical–ultraviolet observations5–7 of TDEs contradict simple models of TDE emission2,8, but the debate between alternative models (for example, shock power9,10 or reprocessed accretion power11–16) remains unsettled, as the dynamic range of the problem has so far prevented ab initio hydrodynamical simulations17. Consequently, past simulations have resorted to unrealistic parameter choices10,12,18–21, artificial mass ...
Source: nature.com