Abstract for Proposal 088259
XMM Follow-Up of Tidal DIsruption Events in ZTF: Building a Legacy Sample
The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is on track to transform the field
of tidal disruption events (TDEs). In the first 2.5 yr of ZTF survey
operations (ZTF-I), we have detected 25 TDEs. However, despite this
exciting progress in assembling a large sample of TDEs, the nature
of the optical emission remains a mystery, and appears to be distinct
from the soft X-ray component (kT~50 eV) associated with the accretion
of the stellar debris through a newly formed disk. In fact, with our
X-ray follow-up observations we have revealed that the soft X-rays show
dramatic variability that is totally decoupled from the smoothly evolving
optical emission. Here propose for a program in AO-20 in order to create
a legacy sample for X-ray population studies of TDEs for the first time.
Details on Observing Strategy and Trigger Criteria
Trigger criteria: spectroscopically confirmed bright (m < 19.5 mag) ZTF
TDE discovered on the rise to peak. Reaction time: < 1 week Observing
strategy: after first TOO epoch (t1), another follow-up epoch at t1+5
months later, or at the end of the window of visibility.