arXiv subjects

Mark Gurwell

Publications and source records attributed to Mark Gurwell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Dynamics and geometry of the inner sub-parsec-scale jet in 3C 279 observed with the Event Horizon Telescope

The 2021 Event Horizon Telescope observations resolve the innermost jet region of the blazar 3C279 with unprecedented detail. The reconstructed images consistently reveal a compact core elongated nearly orthogonal to the large-scale jet axis. This rarely observed morphology recurs across multiple epochs and from 22-230 GHz and is therefore intrinsic rather than an imaging artifact. Geometric model fitting identifies several components with apparent speeds up to 10c, requiring bulk Lorentz factors greater than 10.3 and constraining viewing angles to extremely small values (smaller than one degree). Rest-frame brightness temperatures are systematically low (between 10^9 and 10^10 K), consistent with optically thin emission at 230 GHz. These results suggest that the jet bends toward the observer on sub-parsec scales, producing strong relativistic beaming. Possible drivers of the observed jet bending and temporal evolution include the jet's interaction with the interstellar medium, kink or Kelvin--Helmholtz instabilities, magnetic reconnection near the horizon, or binary-induced precession. However, the current temporal coverage of VLBI data remains insufficient to distinguish between these mechanisms. Continued multifrequency VLBI monitoring will be essential to constraining the dynamics and geometry of the jet base in 3C279.

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arXiv2026

SMA Observations of the Archetypal Compact Steep-spectrum Radio Source 3C 303.1

AGN (active galactic nuclei) feedback plays a crucial role in shaping galaxy evolution. Numerical simulations show that the kinetic energy transfer efficiency from radio jets to interstellar medium (ISM) is relatively high, suggesting a significant role of radio jets in the feedback. We investigate AGN feedback on cold gas in the compact steep-spectrum (CSS) radio source 3C 303.1. CSS sources are largely young radio galaxies evolving through dense environments of their host galaxies. This early evolutionary phase likely represents a critical stage in which the radio source has maximum impact on host galaxy evolution. 3C 303.1 is the only CSS source so far showing alignment in optical, X-ray and UV with the radio structure, making it an interesting source to investigate jet-feedback. We present continuum and spectral line observations of the J=3-2 transition of carbon monoxide ($^{12}$CO) of 3C 303.1, obtained with the Submillimeter Array. We detect continuum emission at 221.1 and 271.2 GHz. We do not detect the $^{12}$CO(J=3-2) line and derive an upper limit on the molecular gas mass of $\sim 2.3 \times 10^{9}\ \mathrm{M_\odot}$. The gas to-dust mass (G/D) ratio is found to be at the lower end of typical Galactic values, and the star-formation rate (SFR) derived is moderate but declining likely due to a recent quenching event. Therefore, $^{12}$CO(J=3-2) non-detection, relatively low G/D ratio, and the moderate but declining SFR point to the shock-heating and/or removal of CO gas by AGN, consistent with the AGN feedback signatures observed in 3C 303.1.

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arXiv2026

Broadband multiwavelength properties of the archetypal blazar 3C 279 during the 2017 Event Horizon Telescope campaign

The archetypal blazar 3C 279 hosts a prominent relativistic jet and exhibits strong broadband variability across the electromagnetic spectrum. In April 2017, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observed 3C 279, alongside one of the most extensive quasi-simultaneous multiwavelength (MWL) campaigns ever conducted. With the aim of investigating the physical processes governing 3C 279, we analyzed individual observations and multiband light curves, and constructed a new quasi-simultaneous MWL spectrum. We also performed phenomenological modeling using the turbulent extreme multi-zone (TEMZ) model to constrain the fundamental physical properties of the source. The EHT observations reveal a clear flux increase in the innermost core between April 5 and 11, 2017. Over a broader timescale, radio measurements at longer wavelengths show concurrent enhancements in core flux and polarization around mid-April, coinciding with the ejection of a superluminal knot. Record UV-optical flares with strong polarization variability occurred in late March, followed by gamma-ray activity that declined before the end of the EHT observing period. During this interval, the source remained in a low X-ray state and showed no detectable VHE emission. The TEMZ modeling suggests that the broadband spectrum and variability of 3C 279 can be explained within a jet scenario in which turbulent plasma cells are compressed by a stationary conical shock. However, alternative interpretations, such as magnetic reconnection or a moving shock-in-jet event, remain plausible. This coordinated MWL campaign advances our understanding of the origin of jet and gamma-ray emission in 3C 279, while also providing a comprehensive publicly available dataset that will serve as a valuable reference for future studies.

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arXiv2026

Tracking down the broadband polarimetric properties of PG 1553+113

We report on a nine-month monitoring campaign of the blazar PG 1553+113, relying on three observations carried out in 2025 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and supported by multi-wavelength facilities. The source displayed pronounced variability across the electromagnetic spectrum, with X-ray flux changes by up to a factor of $\sim5$ and complex evolution of the optical polarization properties, including one of the largest (exceeding $150^{\circ}$) and fastest rotations in the electric vector position angle (EVPA) ever recorded. This swing of the EVPA was also accompanied by a temporary drop of the optical polarization degree to nearly zero. Significant X-ray polarization was observed during the third IXPE pointing, with a polarization degree $\Pi_{\rm X}\,=(\,18.4\,\pm\,5.8)\%$ and $\Psi_{\rm X}\,=\,74^{\circ} \pm 9^{\circ}$ in the 2--8~keV band, while only upper limits were obtained in the first two epochs. The optical data show that the second IXPE observation occurred shortly after a dramatic optical polarization event characterized by a rapid EVPA swing and strong depolarization. Two possible scenarios may explain the broadband polarimetric behavior: (i) the superposition of two emitting regions with nearly orthogonal magnetic field configurations and variable relative contributions, and (ii) the interaction of a single emitting region with a shock that temporarily reorders the magnetic field. In both cases, the data support a picture in which the X-ray and optical emissions arise from closely related but not strictly co-spatial regions within a dynamically evolving, magnetically structured jet.

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arXiv2026

Rapid-response 1.3 mm Observations of GRB 260127A with the Submillimeter Array

We present the results from rapid-response 1.3 mm observations of GRB 260127A using the Submillimeter Array (SMA). SMA arrived on-source 12.6 minutes after the initial detection by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, representing the earliest millimeter/submillimeter observations of a GRB to date. From these observations, we find a source with flux density $6.9\pm1.7$ mJy, consistent with the X-ray afterglow position but slightly offset from the optical afterglow position (2.7'' offset, with the SMA detection having a 90% confidence radial position uncertainty of 0.9''). Subsequent observations 1.9 days later show no sources of emission, with a $3\sigma$ upper limit of 0.70 mJy. If the SMA detection is associated with GRB 260127A, we infer that the 1.3 mm light curve for GRB 260127A declined at least as fast as $t^{-0.5}$, suggesting that peak brightness of the event at this wavelength was reached in under a day. We discuss how these findings may be consistent with both forward shock and reverse shock afterglow scenarios, and implications for future millimeter/submillimeter observations of GRBs on these timescales.

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arXiv2026

Full-polarization millimeter wavelength variability of Sagittarius A* during the 2018 EHT campaign

Sagittarius A* (Srg A*), the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, provides a unique laboratory to study accretion dynamics and plasma processes near the event horizon. We investigated the variability and polarization properties of Srg A* using ALMA observations during the 2018 Event Horizon Telescope campaign. We analyzed high-cadence full-polarization light curves from ALMA at millimeter wavelengths, performed time-series analysis, and investigated the temporal behavior during an X-ray flare observed by Chandra on 2018 April 24. The variability characteristics are compared with expectations from standard accretion flow models. We find low variability in total intensity ($\sigma/\mu < 10\%$), but significantly higher variability in linear and circular polarization (~ 30% and ~ 50%, respectively). A time-series analysis reveals red-noise variability, with power spectral densities between -2 and -3 across all Stokes parameters. Polarized intensity shows stable intra-day timescales, while total intensity exhibits more variable timescales, suggesting distinct emission regions, with polarization likely arising from a coherent structure. On April 24, a statistically significant inter-band delay in polarized intensity coincides with a near-simultaneous X-ray and millimeter peak that deviates from the typical delayed flare scenario. This event also features enhanced millimeter variability and coherent polarization loop evolution. The observed simultaneity challenges standard models of transient synchrotron emission with cooling delays, favoring instead a scenario of continuous energy injection in an optically thin region. Our results offer new constraints on the physical mechanisms driving variability in Srg A*, and provide key observational input for refining theoretical models of accretion and plasma behavior in the vicinity of supermassive black holes.

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arXiv2026

Where within the 3C 84 jet are $\gamma$-rays produced?

The location of $\gamma$-ray creation and emission within extra-galactic jets is a matter of active debate. One particularly well-suited source to pinpoint the location is the nearby, bright radio galaxy 3C 84, harbouring a powerful jet. Here we investigate the origin of $\gamma$-rays measured during a recent $\gamma$-ray flare, by analysing the linear polarisation signal of close-in-time very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations at centimetre and millimetre wavelengths. While 3C 84 is overall almost unpolarised, we find that close-in-time to the $\gamma$-ray flare peak regions at parsec-scale distances from the central engine shows a fractional linear polarisation increase. Under the physically well-motivated assumption of a causal relation between this polarisation enhancement and the $\gamma$-ray flare, and combined with insights from concurrent X-ray polarisation measurements, the $\gamma$-rays being created in this region is a physically motivated scenario, in a process consistent with synchrotron self-Compton.

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arXiv2026

Locating the missing large-scale emission in the jet of M87* with short EHT baselines

In Very-Long Baseline Interferometric arrays, nearly co-located stations probe the largest scales and typically cannot resolve the observed source. In the absence of large-scale structure, closure phases constructed with these stations are zero and, since they are independent of station-based errors, they can be used to probe data issues. Here, we show with an expansion about co-located stations, how these trivial closure phases become non-zero with brightness distribution on smaller scales than their short baseline would suggest. When applied to sources that are made up of a bright compact and large-scale diffuse component, the trivial closure phases directly measure the centroid relative to the compact source and higher-order image moments. We present a technique to measure these image moments with minimal model assumptions and validate it on synthetic Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) data. We then apply this technique to 2017 and 2018 EHT observations of M87* and find a weak preference for extended emission in the direction of the large-scale jet. We also apply it to 2021 EHT data and measure the source centroid about 1 mas northwest of the compact ring, consistent with the jet observed at lower frequencies.

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arXiv2026

A long-term multiwavelength study of the flat spectrum radio quasar OP 313

The Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar OP 313 is a high-redshift (z = 0.997) blazar that entered an intense gamma-ray active phase from November 2023 to March 2024, as observed by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. We present a multiwavelength analysis covering 15 years of data, from August 2008 to March 2024, to contextualize this period of extreme gamma-ray activity within the long-term emission of the source. We analyzed a long-term, comprehensive, multiwavelength dataset from different facilities and projects from radio to gamma-rays. We identified the 7 most intense gamma-ray flaring periods and performed a kinematic analysis of Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) data to determine whether new jet components emerged before or during these flares. For 2 of these flaring periods, we performed the modeling of the spectral energy distribution (SED). The VLBA-BU-BLAZAR and MOJAVE datasets reveal a new jet component appearing in both visibility datasets prior to the onset of one of the strongest gamma-ray flares. By comparing the timing of the VLBA-BU-BLAZAR knots ejection with the gamma-ray flaring periods, we constrained the setup of the SED modeling. We also found that the first gamma-ray flaring period is less Compton-dominated than the others. Our results suggest that the recent activity of OP 313 is triggered by new jet components emerging from the core and interacting with a standing shock. The {\gamma}-ray emission likely arises from dusty torus photons upscattered via Inverse Compton (IC) by relativistic jet electrons. The SED modeling indicates that this component is less dominant during the first {\gamma}-ray flaring period than the later ones.

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arXiv2026

Ring Asymmetry and Spin in M87*

Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) images of the supermassive black hole M87* depict an asymmetric ring of emission. General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) models of M87* and its accretion disk predict that the amplitude and location of the ring's peak brightness asymmetry should fluctuate due to turbulence in the source plasma. We compare the observed distribution of brightness asymmetry amplitudes to the simulated distribution in GRMHD models, across varying black hole spin $a_{*}$. We show that, for strongly magnetized (MAD) models, three epochs of EHT data marginally disfavor $|a_{*}| \lesssim 0.2$. This is consistent with the Blandford-Znajek model for M87's jet, which predicts that M87* should have nonzero spin. We show quantitatively how future observations could improve spin constraints, and discuss how improved spin constraints could distinguish between differing jet-launching mechanisms and black hole growth scenarios.

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arXiv2025

The IXPE and multifrequency polarimetric view of the extreme blazars 1ES 1101-232 and RGB J0710+591

Multiwavelength polarimetry is a powerful tool to probe magnetic field and flow geometries in the relativistic jets of blazars. In this respect, particularly interesting are the sources whose synchrotron emission covers a broad range of frequencies, from radio to X-rays, such as the BL Lac objects of the HSP type. Previous measurements including radio, optical and X-ray data show a clear trend, with the degree of polarization increasing with frequency. Here we report radio, optical and X-ray observations ($Swift$, $Nustar$ and $IXPE$) of 1ES 1101-232 and RGB J0710+591, two blazars belonging to the puzzling subclass of extreme BL Lacs (EHBL). For 1ES 1101-232 we found a strong frequency-dependency of the degree of polarization (with a ratio $\Pi_X/\Pi_O\simeq 5.2$). For RGB J0710+591, IXPE derived a 1$\sigma$ upper limit $\Pi_X<11.6\%$, comparable with the measured optical degree of polarization (average $\Pi_O\sim 12\%$). We discuss the results in the framework of current interpretations and, in particular, we report an improved version of the stratified shock model that is able to reproduce the observed data of both sources.

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arXiv2025

Probing jet base emission of M87* with the 2021 Event Horizon Telescope observations

We investigate the presence and spatial characteristics of the jet base emission in M87* at 230 GHz, enabled by the enhanced uv coverage in the 2021 Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations. The addition of the 12-m Kitt Peak Telescope and NOEMA provides two key intermediate-length baselines to SMT and the IRAM 30-m, giving sensitivity to emission structures at scales of $\sim250~\mu$as and $\sim2500~\mu$as (0.02 pc and 0.2 pc). Without these baselines, earlier EHT observations lacked the capability to constrain emission on large scales, where a "missing flux" of order $\sim1$ Jy is expected. To probe these scales, we analyzed closure phases, robust against station-based gain errors, and modeled the jet base emission using a simple Gaussian offset from the compact ring emission at separations $>100~\mu$as. Our analysis reveals a Gaussian feature centered at ($\Delta$RA $\approx320~\mu$as, $\Delta$Dec $\approx60~\mu$as), a projected separation of $\approx5500$ AU, with a flux density of only $\sim60$ mJy, implying that most of the missing flux in previous studies must arise from larger scales. Brighter emission at these scales is ruled out, and the data do not favor more complex models. This component aligns with the inferred direction of the large-scale jet and is consistent with emission from the jet base. While our findings indicate detectable jet base emission at 230 GHz, coverage from only two intermediate baselines limits reconstruction of its morphology. We therefore treat the recovered Gaussian as an upper limit on the jet base flux density. Future EHT observations with expanded intermediate-baseline coverage will be essential to constrain the structure and nature of this component.

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arXiv2025

Catching the 2021 {\gamma}-ray flare in the blazar TXS 2013+370

The $\gamma$-ray-loud blazar TXS 2013+370, a powerful multiwavelength emitter at $z = 0.859$, underwent an exceptional GeV outburst in late 2020-early 2021. In this work, we present full-polarization VLBI imaging at 22, 43, and 86 GHz together with contemporaneous single-dish monitoring (radio and $\gamma$-rays) to localize the high-energy dissipation site and probe the inner-jet structure and magnetic field topology. The images revealed a compact near-core knot at $r \simeq 40$-$60~\mu\mathrm{as}$ contemporaneously with the GeV flare and a flat, core-dominated spectrum ($\alpha \gtrsim -0.5$). The core has strong linear polarization and exhibits a $\sim 50^{\circ}$ EVPA rotation at 86 GHz; pixel-based and integrated fits yield a high, uniform rotation measure, ${\rm RM} = (7.8 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{4}~{\rm rad~m^{-2}}$, consistent with an external Faraday screen. Cross-correlation of Fermi-LAT and 15 GHz data shows a significant peak with the $\gamma$ rays leading by $\Delta t = (102 \pm 12)\,\mathrm{d}$; adopting $\beta_{\rm app} = 4.2 \pm 0.5$ and $\theta = 4.1^{\circ} \pm 0.2^{\circ}$ implies a de-projected separation $\Delta r_{\gamma-15} = (2.71 \pm 0.47)\,\mathrm{pc}$ and locates the GeV emission between the jet apex and $\sim 0.42$ pc ($1\sigma$ range) downstream. Our results do not uniquely pinpoint the emission site; rather, they support two valid scenarios. The $\gamma$-ray production may occur within the BLR ($\sim 0.07$pc), where external-Compton scattering of optical/UV photons produces the $\gamma$ rays, or beyond the BLR, reaching $\sim 0.42$ pc ($1\sigma$) within the inner parsecs, where external-Compton scattering of dusty-torus infrared photons dominates. Both scenarios are compatible within the allowed range of emission distances, while opacity-driven core shifts modulate the observed radio-$\gamma$ delay without requiring large relocations of the dissipation zone.

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arXiv2025

Optimizing Kilonova Searches: A Case Study of the Type IIb SN 2025ulz in the Localization Volume of the Low-Significance Gravitational Wave Event S250818k

Kilonovae, the ultraviolet/optical/infrared counterparts to binary neutron star mergers, are an exceptionally rare class of transients. Optical follow-up campaigns are plagued by contaminating transients, which may mimic kilonovae, but do not receive sufficient observations to measure the full photometric evolution. In this work, we present an analysis of the multi-wavelength dataset of supernova (SN) 2025ulz, a proposed kilonova candidate following the low-significance detection of gravitational waves originating from the potential binary neutron star merger S250818k. Despite an early rapid decline in brightness, our multi-wavelength observations of SN 2025ulz reveal that it is a type IIb supernova. As part of this analysis, we demonstrate the capabilities of a novel quantitative scoring algorithm to determine the likelihood that a transient candidate is a kilonova, based primarily on its 3D location and light curve evolution. We also apply our scoring algorithm to other transient candidates in the localization volume of S250818k and find that, at all times after the discovery of SN 2025ulz, there are $\geq 4$ candidates with a score comparable to SN 2025ulz, indicating that the kilonova search may have benefited from the additional follow-up of other candidates. During future kilonova searches, this type of scoring algorithm will be useful to rule out contaminating transients in real time, optimizing the use of valuable telescope resources.

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arXiv2025

Detection of Compton scattering in the jet of 3C 84

3C 84 is the brightest cluster galaxy in the Perseus Cluster. It is among the closest radio-loud active galaxies and among the very few that can be detected from low frequency radio up to TeV $\gamma$-rays. Here we report on the first X-ray polarization observation of 3C~84 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, for a total of 2.2 Msec that coincides with a flare in $\gamma$-rays. This is the longest observation for a radio-loud active galaxy that allowed us to reach unprecedented sensitivity, leading to the detection of an X-ray polarization degree of $\rm\Pi_X=4.2\pm1.3\%$ ($\sim3.2\sigma$ confidence) at an X-ray electric vector polarization angle of $\rm \psi_X=163^{\circ}\pm9^{\circ}$, that is aligned with the radio jet direction on the sky. Optical polarization observations show fast variability about the jet axis as well. Our results strongly favor models in which X-rays are produced by Compton scattering from relativistic electrons -- specifically Synchrotron Self-Compton -- that takes places downstream, away from the supermassive black hole.

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arXiv2025

Monitoring of 3C 286 with ALMA, IRAM, and SMA from 2006 to 2025: Stability, Synchrotron Ages, and Frequency-Dependent Polarization Attributed to Core-Shift

We present the results of multi-frequency monitoring of the radio quasar 3C 286, conducted using three instruments: ALMA at 91.5, 103.5, 233.0, and 343.4 GHz, the IRAM 30-m Telescope at 86 and 229 GHz, and SMA at 225 GHz. The IRAM measurements from 2006 to 2024 show that the total flux of 3C 286 is stable within measurement uncertainties, indicating long-term stability up to 229 GHz, when applying a fixed Kelvin-to-Jansky conversion factor throughout its dataset. ALMA data from 2018 to 2024 exhibit a decrease in flux, which up to 4% could be attributed to an apparent increase in the absolute brightness of Uranus, the primary flux calibrator for ALMA with the ESA4 model. Taken together, these results suggest that the intrinsic total flux of 3C 286 has remained stable up to 229 GHz over the monitoring period. The polarization properties of 3C 286 are stable across all observing frequencies. The electric vector position angle (EVPA) gradually rotates as a function of wavelength squared, which is well described by a single power-law over the full frequency range. We therefore propose using the theoretical EVPA values from this model curve for absolute EVPA calibration between 5 and 343.4 GHz. The Faraday rotation measure increases as a function of frequency up to (3.2+/-1.5)x10^4 rad m^-2, following RM proportional to nu^alpha with alpha = 2.05+/-0.06. This trend is consistent with the core-shift effect expected in a conical jet.

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arXiv2025

Unveiling blazar synchrotron emission: a multiwavelength polarimetric study of HSP and LSP populations

Polarimetric properties of blazars allow us to put constraints on the acceleration mechanisms that fuel their powerful jets. By studying the multiwavelength polarimetric behaviour of high synchrotron peaked (HSP) and low synchrotron peaked (LSP) blazars, we aim to explore differences in their emission mechanisms and magnetic field structure in the acceleration region. In this study, we take advantage of several X-ray polarisation observations of HSP by the IXPE, including four new observations of Mrk 501, and optical polarisation observations of LSP from RoboPol and many others. We find that the polarisation degree (PD) distribution of HSP in X-rays is systematically higher than in optical and mm-radio wavelengths, as reported in previous IXPE publications. The distribution of the X-ray electric vector position angles (PA) is centered around the jet axis with most of the observations consistent with zero difference within uncertainties. In fact, the distribution of the offset of the PA from the jet axis is consistent between the LSP and HSP populations (with PA measured in optical for the first, X-ray for the latter), suggesting a common magnetic field structure close to the acceleration region, in strong support of the emerging energy stratified picture of particle acceleration followed by energy loss in blazar jets.

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arXiv2025

The First Radio-Bright Off-Nuclear TDE 2024tvd Reveals the Fastest-Evolving Double-Peaked Radio Emission

We present the first multi-epoch broadband radio and millimeter monitoring of an off-nuclear TDE using the VLA, ALMA, ATA, AMI-LA, and the SMA. The off-nuclear TDE 2024tvd exhibits double-peaked radio light curves and the fastest evolving radio emission observed from a TDE to date. With respect to the optical discovery date, the first radio flare rises faster than $F_{\rm \nu} \sim t^{9}$ at $\Delta t = 88-131$ days, and then decays as fast as $F_{\rm \nu} \sim t^{-6}$. The emergence of a second radio flare is observed at $\Delta t \approx 194$ days with an initial fast rise of $F_{\rm \nu} \sim t^{18}$, and an optically thin decline of $F_{\rm \nu} \sim t ^{-12}$. We interpret these observations in the context of a self-absorbed and free-free absorbed synchrotron spectrum, while accounting for both synchrotron and external inverse-Compton cooling. We find that a single prompt outflow cannot easily explain these observations and it is likely that either there is only one outflow that was launched at $\Delta t \sim 80$ days, or two distinct outflows, with the second launched at $\Delta t \sim 170-190$ days. The nature of these outflows, whether sub-, mildly-, or ultra-relativistic, is still unclear, and we explore these different scenarios. Finally, we find a temporal coincidence between the launch time of the first radio-emitting outflow and the onset of a power-law component in the X-ray spectrum, attributed to inverse-Compton scattering of thermal photons.

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