AGILE detection of gamma-ray flaring activity from the FSRQ TXS 0646-176
ATel #14981; C. Pittori, F. Lucarelli (SSDC and INAF/OAR), A. Bulgarelli (INAF/OAS-Bo), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS, and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), V. Fioretti, N. Parmiggiani, A. Addis, L. Baroncelli, A. Di Piano (INAF/OAS-Bo), F. Verrecchia (SSDC and INAF/OAR), G. Piano, A. Ursi, M. Cardillo, C. Casentini, E. Menegoni, L. Foffano (INAF/IAPS), S. Vercellone (INAF/OA-Brera), I. Donnarumma (ASI), 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. Foffano, I. Lapshov, E. Menegoni, L. Pacciani, P. Soffitta, V. Vittorini (INAF/IAPS), F. Lazzarotto (INAF/OAPD), 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 (INFN Trieste), F. Longo (Univ. Trieste and INFN Trieste), E. Vallazza (INFN Milano Bicocca), 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 18 Oct 2021; 11:24 UT
Credential Certification: Carlotta Pittori (carlotta.pittori@asdc.asi.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, >GeV, AGN, Blazar
AGILE is detecting enhanced gamma-ray activity above 100 MeV from the FSRQ TXS 0646-176 (also known as 5BZQJ0648-1744, 4FGL J0648.4-1743) with radio coordinates R.A. = 102.1187437 deg, Decl. = -17.7348444 deg (J2000), at redshift z=1.232. Integrating from 2021-10-16 UT 04:50:00 to 2021-10-18 UT 04:50:00, a preliminary multi-source maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection above 6 sigma and a flux F(>100 MeV) = (3.8 +/- 1.0) x 10^-6 photons/cm^2/s. The source is being detected by AGILE since 2021-10-14 at a level above 4 sigma, while it was not detected during the previous months.
Enhanced gamma-ray activity from TXS 0646-176 has been recently reported by Fermi (ATel # 14980). The source is not included in any AGILE/GRID catalogue.
The AGILE/GRID detection was obtained while AGILE is observing in spinning mode, surveying a large fraction of the sky each day. The source can be monitored with the public mobile application "AGILEScience" developed by the AGILE Team, available for both Android and iOS devices.
Multifrequency observations of TXS 0646-176 are strongly encouraged.
