Fermi-LAT detection of a new gamma-ray source associated with the BL Lac B2 0103+33
ATel #14654; A. Yusafzai (ECAP/FAU), C. C. Cheung (NRL) on behalf of the Fermi Large Area Telescope Collaboration
on 22 May 2021; 10:34 UT
Credential Certification: Simone Garrappa (simone.garrappa@gmail.com)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, Request for Observations, AGN, Blazar
The Large Area Telescope (LAT), one of the two instruments on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has for the first time observed gamma-ray emission from a source at coordinates R.A. = 16.30 deg, Decl. = +34.23 deg (J2000). This gamma-ray source is tentatively associated with B2 0103+33, located at R.A. = 16.501250 deg, Decl. = 34.034167 deg (J2000, Beasley et al. 2002 ApJS, 141, 13). The radio position is outside the 95% confidence localization region, but within the 99% confidence contour (radius = 0.25 deg). B2 0103+33 is a BL Lac object with a redshift z=0.579 (Healey et al. 2008 ApJS, 175, 97). This source is not in any published LAT catalog and was not detected by AGILE or EGRET.
Preliminary analysis indicates that this source was significantly detected (>5 sigma) in a high gamma-ray state on May 20, 2021, with a daily averaged gamma-ray flux (E>100MeV) of (0.7+/-0.2) X 10^-6 photons cm^-2 s^-1 and a single power-law photon index of 2.4 +/- 0.2 (statistical uncertainties only).
Because Fermi normally operates in an all-sky scanning mode, regular gamma-ray monitoring of this source will continue. We encourage multifrequency observations of this source. For this source, the Fermi-LAT contact person is Anke Yusafzai (anke.yusafzai@fau.de).
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.
