Fast Optical Transients Research Articles

A Possible 250 s X-Ray Quasi-periodicity in the Fast Blue Optical Transient AT2018cow

The fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) are a new population of extragalactic transients of unclear physical origin. A variety of mechanisms has been proposed including failed supernova explosion, shock interaction with a dense medium, young magnetar, accretion onto a compact object and stellar tidal disruption event, but none is conclusive. Here we report the discovery of a possible X-ray quasi-periodicity signal with a period of ∼250 s (at a significance level of 99.76%) in the brightest FBOT AT2018cow through the analysis of XMM-Newton/PN data. The signal is independently detected at the same frequency in the average power density spectrum from data taken from the Swift telescope, with observations covering from 6 to 37 days after the optical discovery, though the significance level is lower (94.26%). This suggests that the quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) frequency may be stable over at least 1.1 × 104 cycles. Assuming the ∼250 s QPO to be a scaled-down analog of that typically seen in stellar mass black holes, a black hole mass of ∼103–105 solar masses could be inferred. The overall X-ray luminosity evolution could be modeled with a stellar tidal disruption by a black hole of ∼104 solar masses, providing a viable mechanism to produce AT2018cow. Our findings suggest that other bright FBOTs may also harbor intermediate-mass black holes.

Bare collapse, formation of neutron star binaries and fast optical transients

ABSTRACT ‘Bare collapse’, the collapse of a bare stellar core into a neutron star with a very small mass ejection links two seemingly unrelated phenomena: the formation of binary neutron star (BNS) systems and the observations of fast and luminous optical transients. We carried out calculations of the collapse due to electron-capture of both evolutionary and synthetic isentropic bare stellar cores. We find that the collapse results in the formation of a light ∼1.3M⊙ neutron star and an ejection of ∼0.1M⊙ at ∼0.1c. The outer shell of the ejecta is composed of 56Ni that can power an ultra-stripped supernova. The models we explored can explain most of the observed fast optical flares but not the brightest ones. Collapse of cores surrounded by somewhat more massive envelopes can produce larger amounts of 56Ni and explain brighter flares. Alternatively, those events can arise due to interaction of the very energetic ejecta with winds that were ejected from the progenitor a few days before the collapse.There are no data bases used.

Fast optical flares from M dwarfs detected by a one-second-cadence survey with Tomo-e Gozen

Abstract We report on a one-second-cadence wide-field survey for M-dwarf flares using the Tomo-e Gozen camera mounted on the Kiso Schmidt telescope. We detect 22 flares from M3–M5 dwarfs with a rise time of 5 s ≲ trise ≲ 100 s and an amplitude of 0.5 ≲ ΔF/F⋆ ≲ 20. The flare light-curves mostly show steeper rises and shallower decays than those obtained from the Kepler one-minute cadence data and tend to have flat peak structures. Assuming a blackbody spectrum with a temperature of 9000–15000 K, the peak luminosities and energies are estimated to be 1029 erg s−1 ≲ Lpeak ≲ 1031 erg s−1 and 1031 erg ≲ Eflare ≲ 1034 erg, which constitutes the bright end of fast optical flares for M dwarfs. We confirm that more than $90\%$ of the host stars of the detected flares are magnetically active based on their Hα-emission-line intensities obtained by LAMOST. An estimated occurrence rate of detected flares is ∼0.7 per day per active star, indicating they are common in magnetically active M dwarfs. We argue that the flare light-curves can be explained by the chromospheric compression model: the rise time is broadly consistent with the Alfvén transit time of a magnetic loop with a length scale of lloop ∼ 104 km and a field strength of 1000 gauss, while the decay time is likely determined by the radiative cooling of the compressed chromosphere down near to the photosphere with a temperature of ≳ 10000 K. These flares from M dwarfs could be a major contamination source for a future search of fast optical transients of unknown types.

Magnetar Engines in Fast Blue Optical Transients and Their Connections with SLSNe, SNe Ic-BL, and lGRBs

We fit the multiband lightcurves of 40 fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) with the magnetar engine model. The mass of the FBOT ejecta, the initial spin period, and the polar magnetic field of the FBOT magnetars are respectively constrained to , , and . The wide distribution of the value of B p spreads the parameter ranges of the magnetars from superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) to broad-line Type Ic supernovae (SNe Ic-BL; some are observed to be associated with long-duration gamma-ray bursts), which are also suggested to be driven by magnetars. Combining FBOTs with the other transients, we find a strong universal anticorrelation of , indicating they could share a common origin. To be specific, it is suspected that all of these transients originate from the collapse of extremely stripped stars in close binary systems, but with different progenitor masses. As a result, FBOTs distinguish themselves by their small ejecta masses with an upper limit of ∼1 M ⊙, which leads to an observational separation in the rise time of the lightcurves of ∼10 days. In addition, FBOTs together with SLSNe can be separated from SNe Ic-BL by an empirical line in the M peak–t rise plane corresponding to an energy requirement of the mass of 56Ni of ∼0.3M ej, where M peak is the peak absolute magnitude of the transients and t rise is the rise time.

Extragalactic Millimeter Transients in the Era of Next-generation CMB Surveys

The next generation of wide-field cosmic microwave background (CMB) surveys are uniquely poised to open a new window into time-domain astronomy in the millimeter band. Here, we explore the discovery phase space for extragalactic transients with near-term and future CMB experiments to characterize the expected population. We use existing millimeter-band light curves of known transients (gamma-ray bursts, tidal disruption events, fast blue optical transients (FBOTs), neutron star mergers) and theoretical models, in conjunction with known and estimated volumetric rates. Using Monte Carlo simulations of various CMB survey designs (area, cadence, depth, duration) we estimate the detection rates and the resulting light-curve characteristics. We find that existing and near-term surveys will find tens to hundreds of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs), driven primarily by detections of the reverse shock emission, and including off-axis LGRBs. Next-generation experiments (CMB-S4, CMB-HD) will find tens of FBOTs in the nearby universe and will detect a few tidal disruption events. CMB-HD will additionally detect a small number of short gamma-ray bursts, where these will be discovered within the detection volume of next-generation gravitational wave experiments like the Cosmic Explorer.

Neutrino Emission from Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients

Mounting evidence suggests that luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs) are powered by a compact object, launching an asymmetric and fast outflow responsible for the radiation observed in the ultraviolet, optical, infrared, radio, and X-ray bands. Proposed scenarios aiming to explain the electromagnetic emission include an inflated cocoon, surrounding a jet choked in the extended stellar envelope. Alternatively, the observed radiation may arise from the disk formed by the delayed merger of a black hole with a Wolf–Rayet star. We explore the neutrino production in these scenarios, i.e., internal shocks in a choked jet and interaction between the outflow and the circumstellar medium (CSM). If observed on axis, the choked jet provides the dominant contribution to the neutrino fluence. Intriguingly, the IceCube upper limit on the neutrino emission inferred from the closest LFBOT, AT2018cow, excludes a region of the parameter space otherwise allowed by electromagnetic observations. After correcting for the Eddington bias on the observation of cosmic neutrinos, we conclude that the emission from an on-axis choked jet and CSM interaction is compatible with the detection of two track-like neutrino events observed by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in coincidence with AT2018cow, and otherwise considered to be of atmospheric origin. While the neutrino emission from LFBOTs does not constitute the bulk of the diffuse background of neutrinos observed by IceCube, the detection prospects of nearby LFBOTs with IceCube and the upcoming IceCube-Gen2 are encouraging. Follow-up neutrino searches will be crucial for unraveling the mechanism powering this emergent transient class.

The X-Ray and Radio Loud Fast Blue Optical Transient AT2020mrf: Implications for an Emerging Class of Engine-driven Massive Star Explosions

We present AT2020mrf (SRGe J154754.2+443907), an extra-galactic (z = 0.1353) fast blue optical transient (FBOT) with a rise time of t g,rise = 3.7 days and a peak luminosity of M g,peak = −20.0. Its optical spectrum around peak shows a broad (v ∼ 0.1c) emission feature on a blue continuum (T ∼ 2 × 104 K), which bears a striking resemblance to AT2018cow. Its bright radio emission (ν L ν = 1.2 × 1039 erg s−1; ν rest = 7.4 GHz; 261 days) is similar to four other AT2018cow-like events, and can be explained by synchrotron radiation from the interaction between a sub-relativistic (≳0.07–0.08c) forward shock and a dense environment ( for v w = 103 km s−1). AT2020mrf occurs in a galaxy with M * ∼ 108 M ⊙ and specific star formation rate ∼10−10 yr−1, supporting the idea that AT2018cow-like events are preferentially hosted by dwarf galaxies. The X-ray luminosity of AT2020mrf is the highest among FBOTs. At 35–37 days, SRG/eROSITA detected luminous (L X ∼ 2 × 1043 erg s−1; 0.3–10 keV) X-ray emission. The X-ray spectral shape (f ν ∝ ν −0.8) and erratic intraday variability are reminiscent of AT2018cow, but the luminosity is a factor of ∼20 greater than AT2018cow. At 328 days, Chandra detected it at L X ∼ 1042 erg s−1, which is >200 times more luminous than AT2018cow and CSS161010. At the same time, the X-ray emission remains variable on the timescale of ∼1 day. We show that a central engine, probably a millisecond magnetar or an accreting black hole, is required to power the explosion. We predict the rates at which events like AT2018cow and AT2020mrf will be detected by SRG and Einstein Probe.

MUSSES2020J: The Earliest Discovery of a Fast Blue Ultraluminous Transient at Redshift 1.063

In this Letter, we report the discovery of an ultraluminous fast-evolving transient in rest-frame UV wavelengths, MUSSES2020J, soon after its occurrence by using the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) mounted on the 8.2 m Subaru telescope. The rise time of about 5 days with an extremely high UV peak luminosity shares similarities to a handful of fast blue optical transients whose peak luminosities are comparable with the most luminous supernovae while their timescales are significantly shorter (hereafter “fast blue ultraluminous transient,” FBUT). In addition, MUSSES2020J is located near the center of a normal low-mass galaxy at a redshift of 1.063, suggesting a possible connection between the energy source of MUSSES2020J and the central part of the host galaxy. Possible physical mechanisms powering this extreme transient such as a wind-driven tidal disruption event and an interaction between supernova and circumstellar material are qualitatively discussed based on the first multiband early-phase light curve of FBUTs, although whether the scenarios can quantitatively explain the early photometric behavior of MUSSES2020J requires systematical theoretical investigations. Thanks to the ultrahigh luminosity in UV and blue optical wavelengths of these extreme transients, a promising number of FBUTs from the local to the high-z universe can be discovered through deep wide-field optical surveys in the near future.

Analytic Light Curves of Dense CSM Shock Breakout and Cooling

Dense circumstellar material (CSM) is thought to play an important role in observed luminous optical transients: if such CSM is shocked, e.g., by ejecta expelled from the progenitor during core-collapse, then radiation produced by the shock-heated CSM can power bright UV/optical emission. If the initial CSM has an “outer edge” where most of the mass is contained and at which the optical depth is large, then shock breakout—when photons are first able to escape the shocked CSM—occurs near it. The rather thin shell of shocked CSM subsequently expands, and in the ensuing cooling-envelope phase, radiative and adiabatic losses compete to expend the CSM thermal energy. Here we derive an analytic solution to the bolometric light curve produced by such shocked CSM. For the first time, we provide an analytic solution to the cooling-envelope phase that is applicable starting from shock breakout and until the expanding CSM becomes optically thin. In particular, we account for the planar CSM geometry that is relevant at early times and properly treat radiative losses within this planar phase. We show that these effects can dramatically impact the resulting light curves, particularly if the CSM optical depth is only marginally larger than c/v sh (where v sh is the shock velocity). This has important implications for interpreting observed fast optical transients, which have previously been modeled using either computationally expensive numerical simulations or more simplified models that do not properly capture the early light-curve evolution.

On the nature of fast blue optical transients

ABSTRACT Short rise times of fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) require very light ejected envelopes, $M_{\rm ej} \le 10^{-1} \, \mathrm{M}_\odot$, much smaller than of a typical supernova. The detection by Chandra of X-ray emission in AT2020mrf of LX ∼ 1042 erg s−1 after 328 d implies total, overall dominant, X-ray energetics at the gamma-ray burst level of ∼6 × 1049 erg. We further develop a model of Lyutikov and Toonen, whereby FBOTs are the results of a late accretion-induced collapse of the product of double white dwarf (WD) merger between ONeMg WD and another WD. Small ejecta mass, and the rarity of FBOTs, results from the competition between mass-loss from the merger product to the wind, and ashes added to the core, on a time-scale of ∼103–104 yr. FBOTs proper come from central engine-powered radiation-dominated forward shock as it propagates through ejecta. All the photons produced by the central source deep inside the ejecta escape almost simultaneously, producing a short bright event. The high-energy emission is generated at the highly relativistic and highly magnetized termination shock, qualitatively similar to pulsar wind nebulae. The X-ray bump observed in AT2020mrf by SRG/eROSITA, predicted by Lyutikov and Toonen, is coming from the breakout of the engine-powered shock from the ejecta into the preceding wind. The model requires total energetics of just few × 1050 erg, slightly above the observed X-rays. We predict that the system is hydrogen poor.

Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients and Type Ibn/Icn SNe from Wolf-Rayet/Black Hole Mergers

Progenitor models for the “luminous” subclass of Fast Blue Optical Transients (LFBOTs; prototype: AT2018cow) are challenged to simultaneously explain all of their observed properties: fast optical rise times of days or less; peak luminosities ≳1044 erg s−1; low yields ≲0.1M ⊙ of 56Ni; aspherical ejecta with a wide velocity range (≲3000 km s−1 to ≳0.1–0.5c with increasing polar latitude); presence of hydrogen-depleted-but-not-free dense circumstellar material (CSM) on radial scales from ∼1014 cm to ∼3 × 1016 cm; embedded variable source of non-thermal X-ray/γ-rays, suggestive of a compact object. We show that all of these properties are consistent with the tidal disruption and hyper-accretion of a Wolf-Rayet (WR) star by a black hole or neutron star binary companion. In contrast with related previous models, the merger occurs with a long delay (≳100 yr) following the common envelope (CE) event responsible for birthing the binary, as a result of gradual angular momentum loss to a relic circumbinary disk. Disk-wind outflows from the merger-generated accretion flow generate the 56Ni-poor aspherical ejecta with the requisite velocity range. The optical light curve is powered primarily by reprocessing X-rays from the inner accretion flow/jet, though CSM shock interaction also contributes. Primary CSM sources include WR mass loss from the earliest stages of the merger (≲1014 cm) and the relic CE disk and its photoevaporation-driven wind (≳1016 cm). Longer delayed mergers may instead give rise to supernovae Type Ibn/Icn (depending on the WR evolutionary state), connecting these transient classes with LFBOTs.

Ellipsars: Ring-like Explosions from Flattened Stars

The stellar cataclysms producing astronomical transients have long been modeled as either a point-like explosion or jet-like engine ignited at the center of a spherically symmetric star. However, many stars are observed, or are expected on theoretical grounds, not to be precisely spherically symmetric, but rather to have a slightly flattened geometry similar to that of an oblate spheroid. Here we present axisymmetric two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the dynamics of point-like explosions initiated at the center of an aspherical massive star with a range of oblateness. We refer to these exploding aspherical stars as “ellipsars” in reference to the elliptical shape of the isodensity contours of their progenitors in the two-dimensional axisymmetric case. We find that ellipsars are capable of accelerating expanding rings of relativistic ejecta. which may lead to the production of astronomical transients including low-luminosity gamma-ray bursts, relativistic supernovae, and fast blue optical transients

A Common Envelope Jets Supernova (CEJSN) Impostor Scenario for Fast Blue Optical Transients

Abstract I propose a new scenario, the polar common envelope jets supernova (CEJSN) impostor scenario, to account for AT2018cow-like fast blue optical transients (FBOTs). The polar CEJSN impostor scenario evolves through four main phases. (1) A red supergiant (RSG) star expands to tidally interact with a neutron star (NS) companion (or a black hole). The interaction increases the RSG mass loss rate to form a circumstellar matter (CSM) halo to r ≃ 0.1 pc. (2) Shortly before the onset of a common envelope evolution (CEE) and about a year before explosion the NS accretes mass from the RSG envelope and launches jets that inflate two opposite lobes in the CSM within ≈100 au. (3) The NS-RSG system enters a CEE phase during which the system ejects most of the envelope mass in a dense equatorial outflow. (4) At the termination of the CEE the leftover envelope forms a circumbinary disk around the NS-core system. The NS accretes mass from the circumbinary disk and launches energetic jets that, when colliding with the fronts of the CSM lobes, power an FBOT event. The low mass of the jets-lobes interaction zones and their large distance, of about 100 au, from the center account for the fast transient. In the future the core collapses to form a second NS. In the far future the two NSs might merge. I suggest that FBOTs and similar fast transients are CEJSN impostors which compose a large fraction of the progenitors of NS-NS merger binaries.

Shocked jets in CCSNe can power the zoo of fast blue optical transients

ABSTRACTEvidence is mounting that recent multiwavelength detections of fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) in star-forming galaxies comprise a new class of transients, whose origin is yet to be understood. We show that hydrogen-rich collapsing stars that launch relativistic jets near the central engine can naturally explain the entire set of FBOT observables. The jet–star interaction forms a mildly relativistic shocked jet (inner cocoon) component, which powers cooling emission that dominates the high velocity optical signal during the first few weeks, with a typical energy of ∼1050–1051 erg. During this time, the cocoon radial energy distribution implies that the optical light curve exhibits a fast decay of $L \,\, \buildrel\propto \over \sim \,\,t^{-2.4}$. After a few weeks, when the velocity of the emitting shell is ∼0.01 c, the cocoon becomes transparent, and the cooling envelope governs the emission. The interaction between the cocoon and the dense circumstellar winds generates synchrotron self-absorbed emission in the radio bands, featuring a steady rise on a month time-scale. After a few months the relativistic outflow decelerates, enters the observer’s line of sight, and powers the peak of the radio light curve, which rapidly decays thereafter. The jet (and the inner cocoon) becomes optically thin to X-rays ∼day after the collapse, allowing X-ray photons to diffuse from the central engine that launched the jet to the observer. Cocoon cooling emission is expected at higher volumetric rates than gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) by a factor of a few, similar to FBOTs. We rule out uncollimated outflows, however, both GRB jets and failed collimated jets are compatible with all observables.

CHIPS: Complete History of Interaction-powered Supernovae

We present the public release of the Complete History of Interaction-Powered Supernovae (CHIPS) code, which is suited to model a variety of transients that arise from interaction with a dense circumstellar medium (CSM). Contrary to existing modelings, which mostly attach the CSM by hand, CHIPS self-consistently simulates both the creation of the CSM from mass eruption of massive stars prior to core collapse, and the subsequent supernova light curve. We demonstrate the performance of CHIPS by presenting examples of the density profiles of the CSM and the light curves. We show that the gross light-curve properties of putative interaction-powered transients (e.g., Type IIn supernovae, rapidly evolving transients and recently discovered fast blue optical transients) can be comprehensively explained with the output of CHIPS.

Radiative Diffusion in a Time-dependent Outflow: a Model for Fast Blue Optical Transients

Fast Blue Optical Transients (FBOTs) are luminous transients with fast evolving (typically t rise < 12 days) light curve and blue color (usually −0.2 > g-r > −0.3) that cannot be explained by a supernova-like explosion. We propose a radiative diffusion in a time-dependent outflow model to interpret such special transients. In this model, we assume that a central engine ejects continuous outflow during a few days. We consider the ejection of the outflow to be time-dependent. The outflow is optically thick initially and photons are frozen in it. As the outflow expands over time, photons gradually escape, and our work is to model such an evolution. Numerical and analytical calculations are considered separately, and the results are consistent. We apply the model to three typical FBOTs: PS1-10bjp, ZTF18abukavn, and ATLAS19dqr. The modeling finds the total mass of the outflow (∼1–5 M ⊙), and the total time of the ejection (∼a few days) for them, leading us to speculate that they may be the result of the collapse of massive stars.

Radio and X-Ray Observations of the Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient AT 2020xnd

Abstract We present deep X-ray and radio observations of the fast blue optical transient (FBOT) AT 2020xnd/ZTF 20acigmel at z = 0.2433 from 13 days to 269 days after explosion. AT 2020xnd belongs to the category of optically luminous FBOTs with similarities to the archetypal event AT 2018cow. AT 2020xnd shows luminous radio emission reaching L ν ≈ 8 × 1029 erg s−1 Hz−1 at 20 GHz and 75 days post-explosion, accompanied by luminous and rapidly fading soft X-ray emission peaking at L X ≈ 6 × 1042 erg s−1. Interpreting the radio emission in the context of synchrotron radiation from the explosion’s shock interaction with the environment, we find that AT 2020xnd launched a high-velocity outflow (v ∼ 0.1c–0.2c) propagating into a dense circumstellar medium (effective M ̇ ≈ 10 − 3 M ⊙ yr−1 for an assumed wind velocity of v w = 1000 km s−1). Similar to AT 2018cow, the detected X-ray emission is in excess compared to the extrapolated synchrotron spectrum and constitutes a different emission component, possibly powered by accretion onto a newly formed black hole or neutron star. These properties make AT 2020xnd a high-redshift analog to AT 2018cow, and establish AT 2020xnd as the fourth member of the class of optically luminous FBOTs with luminous multiwavelength counterparts.

Particle Acceleration in Mildly Relativistic Outflows of Fast Energetic Transient Sources

Recent discovery of fast blue optical transients (FBOTs)—a new class of energetic transient sources—can shed light on the long-standing problem of supernova—long gamma-ray burst connections. A distinctive feature of such objects is the presence of modestly relativistic outflows which place them in between the non-relativistic and relativistic supernovae-related events. Here we present the results of kinetic particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations of particle acceleration and magnetic field amplification by shocks with the velocities in the interval between 0.1 and 0.7 c. These simulations are needed for the interpretation of the observed broad band radiation of FBOTs. Their fast, mildly to moderately relativistic outflows may efficiently accelerate relativistic particles. With particle-in-cell simulations we demonstrate that synchrotron radiation of accelerated relativistic electrons in the shock downstream may fit the observed radio fluxes. At longer timescales, well beyond those reachable within a particle-in-cell approach, our nonlinear Monte Carlo model predicts that protons and nuclei can be accelerated to petaelectronvolt (PeV) energies. Therefore, such fast and energetic transient sources can contribute to galactic populations of high energy cosmic rays.

Evidence for a compact object in the aftermath of the extragalactic transient AT2018cow

The brightest fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) are mysterious extragalactic explosions that may represent a new astrophysical phenomenon1. Their fast time to maximum brightness of less than a week, decline over several months, and atypical optical spectra and evolution are difficult to explain within the context of the core collapse of massive stars, which are powered by radioactive decay of 56Ni and evolve more slowly2,3. AT2018cow (at a redshift of 0.014) is an extreme FBOT in terms of rapid evolution and high luminosity4–7. Here we present evidence for a high-amplitude quasiperiodic oscillation of AT2018cow’s soft X-rays with a frequency of 224 Hz (at a 3.7σ significance level or false alarm probability of 0.02%) and fractional root-mean-squared amplitude of >30%. This signal is found in the average power density spectrum taken over the entire 60-day outburst and suggests a highly persistent signal that lasts for a billion cycles. The high frequency (rapid timescale) of 224 Hz (4.4 ms) argues for a compact object in AT2018cow, which could be a neutron star or black hole with a mass less than 850 solar masses. If the quasiperiodic oscillation is equivalent to the spin period of a neutron star, we can set limits on the star’s magnetic field strength. Our work highlights a new way of using high-time-resolution X-ray observations to study FBOTs. A high-frequency quasiperiodic oscillation in the soft X-rays from unusual transient AT2018cow points towards the presence of a compact object in the remnant: either a neutron star with spin period of 4 ms or a low-mass black hole.

Real-time discovery of AT2020xnd: a fast, luminous ultraviolet transient with minimal radioactive ejecta

ABSTRACT The many unusual properties of the enigmatic AT2018cow suggested that at least some subset of the empirical class of fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) represents a genuinely new astrophysical phenomenon. Unfortunately, the intrinsic rarity and fleeting nature of these events have made it difficult to identify additional examples early enough to acquire the observations necessary to constrain theoretical models. We present here the Zwicky Transient Facility discovery of AT2020xnd (ZTF20acigmel, the ‘Camel’) at z = 0.243, the first unambiguous AT2018cow analogue to be found and confirmed in real time. AT2018cow and AT2020xnd share all key observational properties: a fast optical rise, sustained high photospheric temperature, absence of a second peak attributable to ejection of a radioactively heated stellar envelope, extremely luminous radio, millimetre, and X-ray emission, and a dwarf-galaxy host. This supports the argument that AT2018cow-like events represent a distinct phenomenon from slower-evolving radio-quiet supernovae, likely requiring a different progenitor or a different central engine. The sample properties of the four known members of this class to date disfavour tidal disruption models but are consistent with the alternative model of an accretion powered jet following the direct collapse of a massive star to a black hole. Contextual filtering of alert streams combined with rapid photometric verification using multiband imaging provides an efficient way to identify future members of this class, even at high redshift.