A tidal disruption event in Omega Centauri's core would be one of the most scientifically valuable transients of the decade. This chain asks: how often does it happen, what would we detect, and what would it tell us about the IMBH mass and spin?
Stars reach the tidal disruption radius of the IMBH through gravitational two-body scattering — the "loss cone" process. The rate depends on the stellar density within the influence radius, the relaxation time, and the ratio (r_t/r_h)². For OC's parameters (σ ~ 16 km/s, ρ ~ 10⁴ M☉/pc³), the published estimate (arXiv:2507.06316) is Γ_TDE ≈ 5×10⁻⁸ yr⁻¹, giving a mean waiting time of ~20 Myr. Rare — but not impossible on observational timescales with next-generation all-sky monitors.
→ Open TDE Rate Calculator (OC default parameters)The tidal disruption radius r_t = R_star × (M_BH/m_star)^(1/3). For a Sun-like star and M_BH = 8,200 M☉: r_t ~ 0.008 AU — well outside the ISCO (~0.0002 AU). The disruption generates a debris stream that circularises into an accretion disc. For very massive BHs (M_BH > ~10⁷ M☉), the ISCO moves outside r_t and stars fall in whole with no TDE. OC's IMBH mass range (6,000–8,200 M☉) is solidly in the TDE regime for main-sequence stars.
→ Open Tidal Disruption Tool (Sun-like star, 8,200 M☉) → Open Tidal Disruption Tool (white dwarf)The JWST accretion tool uses Bondi accretion + ADAF radiative efficiency to compute the expected NIR/X-ray signature. Chen et al. (2025) detected no accretion signature at OC's core, setting an upper limit M_BH ≤ ~20,000 M☉ (at ε ~ 10⁻³). A TDE flare would produce a transient accretion signal at ~L_Edd — far above the quiescent limit. During a flare, JWST would directly constrain the IMBH mass through the peak luminosity (L_peak = f_Edd × L_Edd = f_Edd × 1.26×10³¹ × M W). Additionally, the TDE Rate Calculator's detectability panel shows the Einstein Probe and Rubin LSST thresholds.
→ Open JWST Accretion (8,200 M☉, quiescent ADAF) → Open TDE Rate (detectability panel)During or after a TDE flare, the newly formed accretion disc can produce quasi-periodic oscillations at frequencies associated with orbital resonances near the ISCO. For M = 8,200 M☉ and a = 0.5, the 3:2 resonance upper frequency (this tool's Kerr epicyclic model) is ν_U ≈ 159 mHz (period ~6.3 s). Bian et al. (2025) found an 85-second QPO in a separate IMBH TDE, consistent with M ~ 10,000–16,000 M☉ under the 3:2 model. A similar QPO detected in OC would simultaneously constrain both mass and spin, filling the gap left by the current kinematic vs. timing tension.
→ Open QPO Estimator (≈159 mHz predicted for 8,200 M☉, a=0.5) → Open QPO Estimator (85-s Bian+2025 analogue)The Constraint Stacker overlays all published mass constraints. Currently the window is paradoxically closed: Häberle (2024) sets ≥ 8,200 M☉ while Bañares (2025) sets ≤ 6,000 M☉ — an active tension. A TDE observation would add two new constraints: (1) a peak luminosity upper limit (tighter if the flare is sub-Eddington), and (2) a QPO mass-spin joint constraint. Together these might resolve the tension by ruling out part of the (M, a) space — or by revealing that the system is in a mass/spin regime that both existing constraints can accommodate.
→ Open Constraint Stacker (current state)