Seminar: Enhanced Tidal Disruption Event Rate in Active Galactic Nuclei

Astro Seminar: Enhanced Tidal Disruption Event Rate in Active Galactic Nuclei

Dr. Yihan Wang (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

Abstract: Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) exhibit distinct observational signatures compared to those in quiescent galaxies, attributed to the denser disruption environments within the accretion disk. Additionally, detecting these events poses challenges due to the luminous background emissions from AGNs. Consequently, TDEs in AGNs have been historically overlooked, with AGNs often excluded from TDE surveys. In this presentation, I will demonstrate that the rate of TDEs in AGNs can be orders of magnitude higher than in quiescent galaxies, driven by star-disk interactions. This increased frequency of TDEs in AGNs may significantly contribute to AGN activities, such as changing-look phenomena or quasi-periodic eruptions. I will argue for the importance of including AGNs in future TDE surveys, emphasizing

Bio: Dr. Yihan Wang is a Fellow at the Nevada Center for Astrophysics (NCfA) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he collaborates with Dr. Zhaohuan Zhu and Dr. Bing Zhang. His research spans a broad spectrum of astrophysical phenomena, including black hole mergers, exoplanet dynamics, tidal disruption events, and gamma-ray bursts. Recently, Dr. Wang has concentrated on studying black hole mergers within AGN disks, the formation of free-floating planets, and the complex dynamics of tidal disruption events associated with AGNs. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Stony Brook University, where he conducted research on gravitational interactions in astrophysical systems under Dr. Rosalba Perna. Dr. Wang obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 2015.