AGILE detection of enhanced gamma-ray emission from the FSRQ PKS 0736+01 region
ATel #12733; F. Lucarelli, C. Pittori, F. Verrecchia (SSDC and INAF/OAR), A. Bulgarelli, N. Parmiggiani, V. Fioretti (INAF/OAS-Bo), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), M. Cardillo, C. Casentini, G. Piano, A. Ursi (INAF/IAPS), I. Donnarumma (ASI), S. Vercellone (INAF/OA-Brera), F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio (INAF/OAS-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, L. Pacciani, P. Soffitta, V. Vittorini (INAF/IAPS), G. Di Cocco, F. Fuschino, M. Galli, C. Labanti (INAF/OAS-Bo), M. Marisaldi (University of Bergen), A. Pellizzoni, M. Pilia, 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), L. A. Antonelli (INAF/OAR), P. Giommi, L. Salotti, G. Valentini, and F. D'Amico (ASI)
on 6 May 2019; 20:34 UT
Credential Certification: Fabrizio Lucarelli (fabrizio.lucarelli@asdc.asi.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, Blazar, Transient
Referred to by ATel #: 12790
AGILE is detecting increased gamma-ray emission in the soft energy band between 50 MeV and 400 MeV from a source at Galactic coordinates (l, b) =(216.3, 12.3) +/- 0.6 deg (95% stat. c.l.) +/- 0.5 deg (syst.) [R.A., Decl. (J2000) = 115.3, 2.6 deg], consistent with the flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 0736+01 (also known as BZQ J0739+0137), also associated with the gamma-ray source 3FGL J0739.4+0137.
Integrating from 2019-05-01 UT 13:50:00 until 2019-05-05 13:50:00, a preliminary maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection at the level of about 5 sigma and a flux F(50 MeV < E < 400 MeV) = (3.1 +/- 0.9) x 10^-6 ph/cm^2/s.
Flaring activity from this source has been already reported in the past in the gamma-ray band (Paliya et al., ApJ 844, 32, 2017), and in the NIR band (ATel's #3304, #5733, #5923, #6980, and #11416).
This is the first time AGILE reports significant gamma-ray emission from this source.
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 PKS 0736+01 are strongly encouraged.