AGILE detection of a rapid gamma-ray flare from the blazar 3C 279
ATel #11115; C. Pittori, F. Verrecchia, F. Lucarelli (SSDC and INAF/OAR), A. Bulgarelli, N. Parmiggiani (INAF/IASF-Bo), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS, and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), A. Ursi (INAF/IAPS), S. Vercellone (INAF/OA-Brera), S. Colafrancesco (INAF/OAR and Wits University), 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 31 Dec 2017; 00:15 UT
Credential Certification: Carlotta Pittori (carlotta.pittori@asdc.asi.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, AGN, Transient
Referred to by ATel #: 11200
AGILE is detecting a rapid increase in gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV from a source consistent with the Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar 3C 279 (RA: 194.046527 deg, Dec: -5.789312 deg, J2000) at z=0.536.
Integrating from 2017-12-28 20:50:55 UT to 2017-12-30 20:50:55 UT, a maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection at a significance level above 6 sigma, and a flux F = (4.1 +/- 1.0) x 10^-6 ph/cm^2/s (E > 100 MeV), more than a factor of 2 with respect to the previous 7 days.
The AGILE-GRID detection was obtained while AGILE is observing in spinning mode, surveying a large fraction of the sky each day.
Multifrequency observations of 3C 279 are strongly encouraged.
