eROSITA-RU Tidal Disruption Events with Keck-I/LRIS: Sample Selection, Optical Properties, and Host Galaxy Demographics

Abstract

We select seventy tidal disruption event (TDE) candidates among X-ray transients discovered during the eROSITA all-sky surveys in the Eastern Galactic hemisphere between December 2020 and February 2022 (eRASS1--5). We cross-match each X-ray source to a host galaxy in archival optical surveys using Bayesian likelihood-ratio techniques and obtain Keck/LRIS spectroscopy for all 70 host galaxies. Host properties are inferred through SED fitting with Prospector and emission line analysis with pPXF. We develop a robust classification scheme using X-ray and broad line luminosities, narrow-line ionization diagnostics, and optical variability to identify high-confidence TDEs, for which we analyze optical spectral features, light curve properties, and host galaxy demographics. Our final sample contains 52 TDEs with redshifts of $0.018\le z\le 0.714$, comprising 41 gold (high-confidence) and 11 silver (lower-confidence) events. The vast majority (93\%) of gold TDEs are intrinsically brighter in the X-ray band, with $L_{\mathrm{X},\mathrm{peak}}>L_{\mathrm{opt},\mathrm{peak}}$. Among 23 events with detected optical flares, delayed X-ray peak is commonly observed. We identify transient spectral features in eight events, including six with prominent broad \ion{He}{II} $\lambda$4686 and/or H$\alpha$ emission and two coronal-line TDEs. Host galaxy demographics reveal modest over-representation in green valley ($\times 1.8$) and quiescent Balmer-strong ($\times 5.3$) galaxies, significantly weaker than previous TDE samples, demonstrating greater diversity in star formation histories than previously recognized. Most TDE hosts exhibit suppressed star formation relative to the main sequence, consistent with X-ray selection biases against dusty star-forming galaxies.

arXiv comment27 pages, submitted to A&A

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