Exceptional radio outbursts of the blazars AO 0235+16 and 3C 454.3 observed by the GASP

ATel #1849; U. Bach (Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Effelsberg, Germany), M. A. Gurwell (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, MA, USA), P. Leto (INAF, Istituto di Radioastronomia Sezione di Noto, Italy), C. M. Raiteri and M. Villata (INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, Italy), C. S. Buemi, C. Trigilio, and G. Umana (INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Italy), M. F. Aller and H. D. Aller (Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, MI, USA), for the GASP Collaboration
on 20 Nov 2008; 10:03 UT
Credential Certification: Claudia M. Raiteri (raiteri@oato.inaf.it)

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With reference to ATels #1724, #1735, #1744, #1746, #1784, #1785 on the high radio-to-optical and gamma-ray activity of the blazar AO 0235+16, the GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) reports on the recent observation of an exceptional radio outburst of the source. At 1 mm the flux density reached a maximum of 5.0+-0.4 Jy on October 28, 2008. Flux densities of 6.3+-0.4, 6.8+-0.3, and 6.5+-0.2 Jy were registered at 43, 22, and 8 GHz, respectively, on November 7-11. These brightness levels overcome those reached during the 2007 outburst, which were reported by Raiteri et al. (2008, A&A 480, 339), and are comparable to the brightest states observed during the huge 1992-1993 outburst (see e.g. Raiteri et al. 2006, A&A 459, 731).

Another exceptional outburst observed in July-November 2008 at both mm and cm wavelengths concerns 3C 454.3. In particular, the 43 GHz peak level of 28.4+-0.9 Jy represents the highest flux density ever detected at this frequency (see e.g. Raiteri et al. 2008, A&A, in press, arXiv:0810.2424). This radio outburst follows the optical and gamma-ray activity observed in May-July (see ATels #1545, #1581, #1592, #1625, #1628, #1634).