AGILE/GRID detection of increased gamma-ray emission from 3C 454.3

ATel #2995; S. Vercellone (INAF/IASF-Pa), F. Verrecchia (ASDC), I. Donnarumma (INAF/IASF-Rm), M. Tavani (INAF/IASF-Rm, and Univ. Tor Vergata), E. Striani (Univ. Roma Tor Vergata and INFN Roma), F. Lucarelli, C. Pittori (ASDC), A. Bulgarelli, F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio (INAF/IASF-Bo), F. D'Ammando (INAF/IASF-Pa), A. Chen, A. Giuliani, S. Mereghetti, P. Caraveo, F. Perotti (INAF/IASF-Mi), E. Del Monte, Y. Evangelista, M. Feroci, F. Lazzarotto, L. Pacciani, P. Soffitta, E. Costa, I. Lapshov, M. Rapisarda, A. Argan, G. Piano, G. Pucella, S. Sabatini, A. Trois, V. Vittorini (INAF/IASF-Rm), F. Fuschino, M. Galli, C. Labanti, M. Marisaldi, G. Di Cocco (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Pellizzoni, M. Pilia (INAF/OA-Cagliari), G. Barbiellini, F. Longo, E. Vallazza (INFN Trieste), A. Morselli, P. Picozza (INFN and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), M. Prest (Universita` dell'Insubria), P. Lipari, D. Zanello (INFN and Univ. Roma Sapienza), P. W. Cattaneo, A. Rappoldi (INFN Pavia), P. Santolamazza, S. Colafrancesco, P. Giommi (ASDC), L. Salotti (ASI)
on 1 Nov 2010; 11:47 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Request For Observations
Credential Certification: Stefano Vercellone (stefano@iasf-milano.inaf.it)

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Following the detection of a NIR H-band flare from the flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 454.3 reported in ATel #2988, we performed a quick-look analysis of the gamma-ray data collected by the Gamma-ray Imaging Detector (GRID) on board AGILE in the time period between 2010-10-28 06:00 UT and 2010-10-31 06:00 UT.

Although the source is considerably off-axis, we detect 3C 454.3 in a high gamma-ray state. The gamma-ray flux is (730+-230)E-8 ph/cm2/s (E>100 MeV).

This flux value reported here is more than a factor 2 higher than the flux we detected during the last two weeks of July 2010.

The AGILE/GRID detection was obtained while AGILE is observing in spinning mode, surveying a large fraction of the sky each day. Multifrequency observations of 3C 454.3 are strongly encouraged.