An Accretion Flare Interpretation for the Ultra-high-energy Neutrino Event KM3-230213A

Abstract We study the origin of the ultra−high-energy (UHE) neutrino event KM3-230213A detected by KM3NeT, focusing on MRC 0614−083, which has been pinpointed as the closest blazar to the neutrino localization exhibiting variable multiwavelength emission. A joint interpretation of the optical, infrared, and X-ray light curves suggests that MRC 0614−083 has undergone a super-Eddington accretion flare accompanied by efficient proton acceleration. That flare has initiated a delayed infrared echo within the surrounding dust torus, which serves as a target for photomeson ( pγ ) interactions such that a self-consistent picture emerges that complements the blazar jet scenario: the predicted UHE neutrino flux is at the level expected from a joint E −2 fit with the IceCube measurements at lower energies, the variable nature of the event alleviates the tension with IceCube limits, and the accompanying electromagnetic cascade describes the X-ray flare around the neutrino detection time. Since a key remaining uncertainty is the unknown redshift of the source, we strongly encourage optical/ultraviolet spectroscopic measurements to determine its redshift.