A study on tidal disruption event dynamics around an Sgr A*-like massive black hole

Abstract

Context. The number of observed tidal disruption events is increasing rapidly with the advent of new surveys. Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to improve tidal disruption event models using different stellar and orbital parameters. Aims. We study the dynamical behaviour of tidal disruption events produced by an Sgr A*-like massive black hole by changing different initial orbital parameters, taking into account the observed orbits of S stars. Investigating different types of orbits and penetration factors is important since their variations lead to different timescales of the tidal disruption event debris dynamics, making mechanisms such as self-crossing and pancaking act strongly or weakly and thus affecting the circularisation and accretion disc formation. Methods. We performed smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations. Each simulation consisted of modelling the star with 105 particles, and the density profile is described by a polytrope with γ = 5/3. The massive black hole was modelled with a generalised post-Newtonian potential, which takes into account the relativistic effects of the Schwarzschild space-time. Results. Our analyses find that mass return rate distributions of solar-like stars and S-like stars with the same eccentricities have similar durations, but S-like stars have higher mass return rate distributions, as expected due to their larger masses. Regarding debris circularisation, we identify four types of evolution related to the mechanisms and processes involved during circularisation: in type 1, the debris does not circularise efficiently, hence a disc is not formed or is formed after a relatively long time; in type 2, the debris slowly circularises and eventually forms a disc with no debris falling back; in type 3, the debris circularises relatively quickly and forms a disc while there is still debris falling back; in type 4, the debris quickly and efficiently circularises, mainly through self-crossings and shocks, and forms a disc with no debris falling back. Finally, we find that the standard relation of circularisation radius rcirc = 2rt holds only for β = 1 and eccentricities close to parabolic.