Blazar 3C 454.3 in gamma-ray high state: new AGILE detection
ATel #1581; V. Vittorini, I. Donnarumma, F. D'Ammando, L. Pacciani, G. Pucella, (INAF/IASF Rome), A. Chen, A. Giuliani, S. Vercellone (INAF/IASF Milan), F. Longo (INFN, Trieste), A. Bulgarelli (INAF/IASF Bologna), S. Mereghetti, A. Pellizzoni, F. Perotti, F. Fornari, M. Fiorini, P. Caraveo, A. Zambra (INAF/IASF Milan), F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio, G. Di Cocco, C. Labanti, F. Fuschino, M. Marisaldi, M. Galli, (INAF/IASF Bologna), M. Tavani, E. Costa, M. Feroci, E. Del Monte, F. Lazzarotto, G. Piano, P. Soffitta, Y. Evangelista, I. Lapshov, M. Rapisarda, A. Argan, A. Trois , G. De Paris (INAF/IASF Rome), G. Barbiellini, E. Vallazza (INFN Trieste), P. Picozza, A. Morselli (INFN Roma-2), M. Prest, (Universita` dell'Insubria), P. Lipari, D. Zanello (INFN Roma-1), P. Cattaneo (INFN Pavia) and C. Pittori, F. Verrecchia, B. Preger, P. Santolamazza, P. Giommi (ASDC) and L. Salotti (ASI)
on 16 Jun 2008; 16:21 UT
Credential Certification: Stefano Vercellone (stefano@iasf-milano.inaf.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, AGN, Quasar
The AGILE Gamma Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) detected 3C 454.3
in high state in the period between 2008-06-15 10:46 UT and
2008-06-16 07:11 UT.
Despite the fact that the source is currently more than 35 degrees off-axis,
a preliminary maximum likelihood analysis shows a detection at a significance
level of about 5 sigma, with a source flux in excess of 100e-8 ph/cm2/s at
energies above 100 MeV. This source was already detected in the gamma-ray
energy band by the AGILE-GRID in July, November, and December 2007
(see ATELs #1160, #1167, #1278, and #1300) and also during the period
May 24 - June 9 2008 (see ATEL #1545).
Monitoring of the source by AGILE will continue till 2008-06-30 12:00 UT.
We strongly encourage multi-frequency observations of 3C 454.3 during
this gamma-ray high-state.
