The changing-look AGN SDSS J101152.98+544206.4 is returning to a type I state

Abstract

Aims. We discovered that the changing-look active galactic nucleus (CLAGN) SDSS J101152.98+544206.4 (J1011+5442 for short) gradually returns to the type I state after a short period between 2014 and 2019 in the faint type 1.9 state.Methods. Motivated by the rebrightening in the optical and mid-infrared light curves from ZTF and WISE, we obtained new spectroscopic observations with the Xinglong 2.16 m, the Lijiang 2.4 m, and the MMT 6.5 m optical telescopes in 2024.Results. After changing its optical AGN type from 1 to 1.9 between 2003 and 2015 according to the repeat spectroscopy from the Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey, J1011+5442 returned to its type I state in 2024. We detect the significant and very broad Hβ lines (full width at half maximum of ≳5000 km/s) based on the new spectra, which suggests that J1011+5442 was in the intermediate state between the dim state in 2015 and the bright state in 2003. The long-term optical and mid-infrared light curves also show a brightening trend between 2019 and 2024 as the broad Hβ line appeared. The time lag of about 100 days between the mid-infrared and optical variability is consistent with the prediction of dust reverberation mapping.Conclusions. The behavior of the photometric and spectroscopic observations of J1011+5442 is consistent with the argument that the repeating changing-look phenomenon is regulated by the variation in the accretion rate.