Journal article
Multiwavelength Analysis of Six Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients
The Astrophysical journal, v 1007(1), 38
10 Aug 2026
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Abstract
We present early (≲1 yr) multiwavelength observations and analysis of six luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs). We identified these LFBOTs in Zwicky Transient Facility survey data from their fast light-curve evolution (t1/2 ≤ 12 days), blue colors at peak brightness (g − r ≤ −0.2 mag), a visible host galaxy, high optical luminosity (Mg < −20 mag), and an X-ray and/or radio detection. With the exception of AT2024aehp (ZTF24abygbss), these transients exhibit peaks in their 10 GHz radio light curves at trest ≈ 50–100 days, with peak radio luminosities ranging from 1038 to 1040 erg s−1. Modeling the radio emission as synchrotron radiation indicates a fast (v = 0.1–0.3c) shock in a dense (ne ≈ 103–104 cm−3) medium. The X-ray emission varies by ≈2 orders of magnitude in luminosity (1042–1044 erg s−1) at trest ∼ 20 days. Analysis of the host-galaxy photometry and spectroscopy for each transient shows that LFBOTs are predominantly nonnuclear (a few kiloparsecs offset) with star-forming host galaxies of stellar masses = 109–1011 M⊙. Unlike all other LFBOTs to date, AT2024aehp exhibited a luminous (M < −19 mag) plateau in the optical light curve and its 6–15 GHz radio emission brightened by over an order of magnitude from trest ≈ 70 to 130 days. The mostly consistent radio behavior between these LFBOTs implies a similar circumburst medium, leading us to prefer a progenitor scenario in which mass is lost in a consistent way shortly prior to the terminal event.
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Details
- Title
- Multiwavelength Analysis of Six Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients
- Creators
- Cassie Sevilla - Cornell UniversityAnna Y.Q. Ho - Cornell UniversityNayana A.J. - University of California, BerkeleySteve Schulze - Northwestern UniversityDaniel A. Perley - Liverpool John Moores UniversityMichael Bremer - Institut de Radioastronomie MillimétriqueIgor Andreoni - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillIvan Altunin - University of Nevada, RenoThomas G. Brink - University of California SystemMichael Camilo - Cornell UniversityPoonam Chandra - National Radio Astronomy ObservatoryPing Chen - Weizmann Institute of ScienceAshley A. Chrimes - Radboud University NijmegenMichael W. Coughlin - University of Minnesota SystemKaustav K. Das - California Institute of TechnologyAndrew Drake - California Institute of TechnologyAlexei V. Filippenko - University of California SystemChristoffer Fremling - California Institute of TechnologyJames Freeburn - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillAvishay Gal Yam - Weizmann Institute of ScienceMary Gerhart - University of California SystemMatthew J. Graham - California Institute of TechnologyGeorge Helou - California Institute of TechnologyK. Ryan Hinds - Liverpool John Moores UniversityNatalya Johnson - Drexel UniversityMansi M. Kasliwal - California Institute of TechnologyHarsh Kumar - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianRuss R. Laher - California Institute of TechnologyNatalie LeBaron - University of California SystemMaggie L. Li - California Institute of TechnologyChang Liu - Simons FoundationBen Margalit - University of Minnesota SystemYu Jing Qin - California Institute of TechnologyNabeel Rehemtulla - Simons FoundationSophia Risin - University of California SystemSam Rose - California Institute of TechnologyRupak Roy - Astronomy and SpaceBen Rusholme - California Institute of TechnologyGenevieve Schroeder - Cornell UniversityJesper Sollerman - Stockholm UniversityGokul P. Srinivasaragavan - University of Maryland, College ParkKailai Wang - Cornell UniversityJacob L. Wise - Liverpool John Moores UniversityYi Yang - University of California SystemYuhan Yao - Miller CollegeWei Kang Zheng - University of California, Berkeley
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, v 1007(1), 38
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing Ltd
- Number of pages
- 27
- Grant note
- AST-1238877 / National Science Foundation (100000001) AST-1440341 / National Science Foundation (100000001) PHY-2409481 / National Science Foundation (100000001) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (100000104) W. M. Keck Foundation (100000888) AST-1005313 / National Science Foundation (100000001) University of California (100005595) 114A11KYSB20160057 / Chinese Academy of Sciences (501100002367) DE-SC0025599 / University of California Berkeley (100006978) XDB09000000 / Chinese Academy of Sciences (501100002367)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001839226100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105046665169
- Other Identifier
- 991022201735904721