Gamma-ray rebrightening of the blazar PKS 0402-362 detected by AGILE
ATel #15952; C. Pittori (SSDC and INAF/OAR), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS, and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), A. Bulgarelli (INAF/OAS-Bo), A. Di Piano (Univ. Modena - INAF/OAS-Bo), G. Panebianco (Univ. Bologna - INAF/OAS-Bo), G. Piano (INAF/IAPS), V. Fioretti, N. Parmiggiani, L. Baroncelli, (INAF/OAS-Bo) F. Verrecchia, F. Lucarelli (SSDC and INAF/OAR), S. Vercellone (INAF/OA-Brera), M. Cardillo, C. Casentini (INAF/IAPS), I. Donnarumma, A. Ursi, E. Menegoni (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, 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), L. A. Antonelli (INAF/OAR), P. Giommi, L. Salotti, G. Valentini, and F. D'Amico (ASI)
on 18 Mar 2023; 14:02 UT
Credential Certification: Carlotta Pittori (carlotta.pittori@asdc.asi.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, >GeV, AGN, Blazar
The GRID gamma-ray detector onboard the AGILE satellite is detecting a gamma-ray rebrightening from the blazar PKS 0402-362 at redshift z = 1.417 (Peterson et al. 1976, ApJ, 207, 5). The source was reported in a high gamma-ray emission state in February 2023 by AGILE (ATel #15905) and Fermi-LAT (ATel #15903).
AGILE is currently detecting increased gamma-ray emission from PKS 0402-362. Integrating from 2023-03-16 04:50 UT until 2023-03-18 04:50 UT, a maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection at 5.8 sigma level with a flux F = (3.5 +/- 1.0) E-06 ph/cm2/s (E > 100 MeV).
The average flux detected by the AGILE-GRID during the previous week, from March 6 to 12, 2023 was F(>100 MeV) = (1.2 +/- 0.4) x 10^-6 photons/cm^2/s.
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 the blazar PKS 0402-362 region are strongly encouraged.
