Determine whether the observed H-alpha emission is associated with a newly formed TDE accretion disk

Determine whether the broadened H-alpha emission observed in WISE J2244+0816 is associated with a newly formed accretion disk produced by the candidate tidal disruption event.

Background

WISE J2244+0816 exhibits broadened H-alpha emission in both the 2021 DESI spectrum and the 2025 Palomar NGPS spectrum. Because no pre-flare optical spectrum exists, the paper cannot establish whether this emission represents a pre-existing active-galactic-nucleus broad-line component or emission from an accretion disk formed or sustained by the candidate tidal disruption event.

Resolving this issue would help determine whether the flare produced a newly formed accretion flow and would clarify the physical interpretation of the persistent post-flare broad-line emission.

References

Without pre-flare spectra available, it is unclear if the observed spectrum is related to a newly formed accretion disk; e.g., accretion from TDEs often continues at a low rate for several years \citep[e.g.,][]{Komossa2015}.

— Extreme AGN Variability in WISE: Powerful Flares and Candidate Tidal Disruption Events in AGN  (2609.01421 - Upadhyayula et al., 1 Sep 2026) in Section 4.1, “J2244+0816”