Modelling the flare in NGC 1097 from 1991 to 2004 as a tidal disruption event

Abstract

In the letter, interesting evidence is reported to support a central tidal disruption event (TDE) in the known AGN NGC 1097. Considering the motivations of TDE as one probable origination of emission materials of double-peaked broad emission lines and also as one probable explanation to changing-look AGN, it is interesting to check whether there are clues to support a TDE in NGC 1097, not only a changing-look AGN but also an AGN with double-peaked broad emission lines. Under the assumption that the onset of broad Hα emission was due to a TDE, the 13 yr-long (1991-2004) variability of double-peaked broad Hα line flux in NGC 1097 can be well predicted by theoretical TDE model, with a (1 - 1.5) M_⊙ main-sequence star tidally disrupted by the central BH with TDE model determined mass about (5 - 8) × 10⁷ M_⊙. The results provide interesting evidence to not only support TDE-related origin of double-peaked broad line emission materials but also support TDE as an accepted physical explanation to physical properties of changing-look AGN.