AGILE detection of increasing gamma-ray activity from CTA 102
ATel #11045; F. Lucarelli, F. Verrecchia, C. Pittori (SSDC and INAF/OAR), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS, and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), S. Vercellone (INAF/OA-Brera), S. Colafrancesco (INAF/OAR and Wits University), A. Bulgarelli (INAF/IASF-Bo), M. Cardillo, G. Piano (INAF/IAPS), V. Fioretti, N. Parmiggiani (INAF/IASF-Bo), M. Pilia (INAF/OA-Cagliari), I. Donnarumma (ASI), F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Giuliani, S. Mereghetti, P. Caraveo, F. Perotti (INAF/IASF-Mi), A. Chen (Wits University), A. Argan, E. Costa, E. Del Monte, Y. Evangelista, M. Feroci, F. Lazzarotto, I. Lapshov, L. Pacciani, P. Soffitta, S. Sabatini, V. Vittorini (INAF/IAPS), G. Pucella, M. Rapisarda (ENEA-Frascati), G. Di Cocco, F. Fuschino, M. Galli, C. Labanti, M. Marisaldi (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Pellizzoni, A. Trois (INAF/OA-Cagliari), G. Barbiellini, E. Vallazza (INFN Trieste), F. Longo (Univ. Trieste and INFN Trieste), A. Morselli, P. Picozza (INFN and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), M. Prest (Univ. dell'Insubria), P. Lipari, D. Zanello (INFN and Univ. Roma Sapienza), P. W. Cattaneo, A. Rappoldi (INFN Pavia), A. Ferrari (Univ. Torino and CIFS), F. Paoletti (East Windsor RSD Hightstown and INAF/IAPS), A. Antonelli (SSDC), P. Giommi, L. Salotti, G. Valentini, and F. D'Amico (ASI)
on 9 Dec 2017; 17:28 UT
Credential Certification: Fabrizio Lucarelli (fabrizio.lucarelli@asdc.asi.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, >GeV, Transient
AGILE is detecting increasing gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV from a source positionally consistent with the FSRQ CTA 102.
Integrating from 2017-12-07 06:00 UT to 2017-12-09 06:00 UT, a preliminary maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection above 6 sigma and a flux F(E>100 MeV)=(3.6 +/- 0.9) x 10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1.
Recent activity of CTA102 was reported in ATel #10560 and #10386 by AGILE, and in ATel #10292 by Fermi. The strong 2016-2017 variability of the source has been recently interpreted assuming a twisted blazar jet that undergoes rapid changes in orientation over the time (Raiteri et al. 2017, Nature online 24623 (2017/12/04)).
This measurement was obtained with AGILE observing a large portion of the sky in spinning mode. Multifrequency observations of CTA 102 are strongly encouraged.
