Fermi LAT detection of a possible new gamma-ray FSRQ PKS 1451-375

ATel #4534; Denis Bastieri (INFN/University Padova) on behalf of the Fermi-LAT Collaboration
on 1 Nov 2012; 08:20 UT
Credential Certification: Denis Bastieri (denis.bastieri@pd.infn.it)

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The Large Area Telescope (LAT), one of the two instruments on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has observed a gamma-ray flare from a region near a flat spectrum radio source. The preliminary best-fit location of the gamma-ray source (RA: 223.712, Dec: -37.7576, J2000) has a 95% containment radius of 0.19 deg (statistical errors only) for observations from October 30 00:00 UT to October 30 24:00 UT. Inside the error circle is the Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar PKS 1451-375 (RA: 14h54m27.4s, Dec: -37d47m33s, J2000, Healey S.E. et al. 2007, ApJS 171, 61), a quasar with a prominent radio jet (Bridle & Perley 1984, ARA&A, 22, 319) and located at z=0.314 (Fomalont et al. 2000, ApJS 131, 95). Preliminary analysis indicates that the source brightened in gamma rays on 2012 October 30, with a daily flux (E > 100 MeV) of (1.2 +/- 0.4) e-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1 (errors are statistical only). A source in this position does not appear in any of the catalogs or source lists produced by the LAT Collaboration nor was it previously reported by EGRET. Because Fermi operates in all-sky survey mode, gamma-ray monitoring of this source will continue. In consideration of the activity of this source we strongly encourage multiwavelength observations. The Fermi LAT contact person for this source is D. Bastieri (denis.bastieri@unipd.it). The Fermi LAT is a pair conversion telescope designed to cover the energy band from 20 MeV to greater than 300 GeV. It is the product of an international collaboration between NASA and DOE in the U.S. and many scientific institutions across France, Italy, Japan and Sweden.