EP J062132.0+623837: A Multi-wavelength Study of a Changing-look Active Galactic Nucleus Discovered by Einstein Probe
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: EP J062132.0+623837 is a new X-ray source identified in 14-day binned survey data from the Wide-field X-ray Telescope aboard the Einstein Probe (EP). Subsequent X-ray observations with the Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) on board EP localized the source to the central region of the galaxy 2MASX J06213207+6238390 at $z=0.084$. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the multi-wavelength data for this object. During the FXT and Swift/XRT follow-up, the source remained X-ray active, with observed luminosities of $(3-9)\times10^{43}$ erg s$^{-1}$, and its X-ray spectra were well described by power-law models with photon indices of $Γ\sim1.5$. The optical spectrum of the host galaxy clearly reveals a broad-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) exhibiting significantly enhanced broad Balmer emission lines compared to an archival spectrum obtained four years earlier, thereby marking a changing-look transition from Type 1.8 to Type 1.5. Furthermore, long-term optical and mid-infrared light curves indicate that the nucleus underwent dramatic brightening around 2010 and has since shown substantial variability. Given the spatial coincidence and multi-wavelength behavior, we identify EP J062132.0+623837 as a changing-look AGN, initially detected by EP and subsequently confirmed to exhibit large-amplitude variability across multiple bands. This case study demonstrates the great potential of wide-field time-domain X-ray surveys for discovering changing-look AGNs, paving a new avenue for their systematic identification as a powerful complement to ongoing optical surveys.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California Institute of Technology, European Space Agency, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center, University of California, Los Angeles, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Planetary Science Division
OpenAlex ID: W7223270905