AGILE gamma-ray detection of the Blazar 3C 454.3
ATel #1160; S. Vercellone, A. Chen, A. Giuliani, A. Pellizzoni, S. Mereghetti, F. Fornari, P. Caraveo, F. Perotti, M. Fiorini (INAF/IASF Milano), A. Bulgarelli, G. Di Cocco, C. Labanti, M. Marisaldi, F. Fuschino, M. Galli, F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio (INAF/IASF Bologna), M. Tavani, G. Pucella, F. D'Ammando, E. Costa, M. Feroci, I. Donnarumma, L. Pacciani, E. Del Monte, A. Argan, A. Trois, (INAF/IASF Roma), M. Prest, E. Vallazza (INFN-Como), G. Picozza, P. Lipari (INFN-Roma), F. Longo, G. Barbiellini (INFN-Trieste) on behalf of the AGILE Team and P. Giommi, C. Pittori, L. A. Antonelli, D. Gasparrini, S. Cutini, G. Fanari, F. Verrecchia (ASDC) and L. Salotti (ASI)
on 27 Jul 2007; 15:45 UT
Credential Certification: Adamantia Paizis (ada@iasf-milano.inaf.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, AGN, Transient
The AGILE satellite, currently in the science performance
verification phase, started to observe the 3C454.3 field
on July 24, 2007, following the significant flaring activity
of this blazar recently detected in the optical and X-ray
energy bands.
A gamma-ray source positionally consistent with 3C 454.3 is detected
with a maximum likelihood analysis giving a significance of 4.9 sigma
in the AGILE GRID (Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector) data acquired
between 2007-07-24 14:30 UT and 2007-07-27 05:27 UT.
Due to satellite constraints, 3C 454.3 is about 36
degrees off-axis. Considering that the in-flight calibration
of the GRID is still ongoing, we can only provide at this moment a
preliminary estimate of the gamma-ray flux of
(3+/-1)*10E-6 ph/cm2/s for E>100 MeV.
AGILE will point at the 3C 454.3 field until
July 30, 12:00 UT.
Multifrequency observations of the source are encouraged.
