Late Variability of Flux and Spectra of the Tidal Disruption Flare Sw J1644+57 from XMM-Newton data

Abstract

We describe the late spectral variability and flux evolution of TDF Sw J1644+57, a Tidal Disruption Flare which left the typical potential trend proportional to $t^{-5/3}$ in 2012, maintaining a quiescent flux until nowadays. Sixteen X-ray observations of ESA satellite \emph{XMM-Newton} have been used in this study, including the one performed on 17$^{\rm th}$July, 2013. A search for optical emission in BOOTES/CASANDRA database has been performed too. Late X-ray fluxes show that the source flux decline does not follow the expected TDF trend at the time of the last \emph{XMM-Newton} observation. Moreover, the spectra fitting parameters, in particular the neutral hydrogen column density, N$_{\rm H}$, and the power-law index, $\Gamma$, indicate that the source darkening has diminished and that the spectral shape has flattened with time. The disruption of the star could have come to an end. Nevertheless, a quiescent X-ray flux continues. Evidence for a quiescent X-ray flux is presented.