AGILE detection of increasing gamma-ray emission from the blazar PKS 1510-089 following an optical/near-infrared flare

ATel #5422; V. Fioretti (INAF/IASF-Bo), F. Verrecchia, C. Pittori, F. Lucarelli (ASDC and INAF/OAR), S. Vercellone (INAF/IASF-Pa), A. Bulgarelli, F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio (INAF/IASF-Bo), M. Tavani, M. Cardillo, E. Striani (INAF/IAPS and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), G. Piano, I. Donnarumma, E. Del Monte, Y. Evangelista, M. Feroci, F. Lazzarotto, L. Pacciani, P. Soffitta, E. Costa, I. Lapshov, M. Rapisarda, A. Argan, G. Pucella, S. Sabatini, V. Vittorini (INAF/IAPS), A. Chen, A. Giuliani, S. Mereghetti, P. Caraveo, F. Perotti (INAF/IASF-Mi), F. Fuschino, M. Galli, C. Labanti, M. Marisaldi, G. Di Cocco (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Pellizzoni, A. Trois (INAF/OA-Cagliari), M. Pilia (ASTRON, the Netherlands), G. Barbiellini, E. Vallazza (INFN Trieste), F. Longo (Univ. Trieste and INFN Trieste), 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), S. Colafrancesco (INAF/OAR and Wits University, Johannesburg), A. Antonelli (INAF/OAR and ASDC), P. Giommi (ASDC), L. Salotti and G. Valentini (ASI).
on 26 Sep 2013; 18:21 UT
Credential Certification: Francesco Verrecchia (francesco.verrecchia@asdc.asi.it)

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We report the AGILE detection of increasing gamma-ray emission (E > 100 MeV) from a source positionally consistent with the blazar PKS 1510-089 peaking during the period 22-24 September 2013 (following an optical/near-infrared flare of the source recently reported in Atel #5416, M. Buxton et al.).

Integrating from 2013-09-22 12:00 UT to 2013-09-24 12:00 UT, a maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection at a significance level above 5 sigma with a source flux F = (4.1 +/- 1.4) x 10e-6 ph/cm^2/s (E > 100 MeV). After September 24th, the source drifted outside the AGILE field of view.

During the period preceding the flare, from 2013-08-25 12:00 UT to 2013-09-10 12:00 UT, the source was not detected in gamma-rays above 100 MeV with a flux upper limit of about 2.0 x 10e-6 ph/cm^2/s. Integrating from 2013-09-10 12:00 UT to 2013-09-20 12:00 UT we obtained a detection above 4 sigma with a flux F = (1.2 +/- 0.4) x 10e-6 ph/cm^2/s.

This measurement was obtained with AGILE observing a large portion of the sky in spinning mode.

Multifrequency follow-up observations of the blazar PKS 1510-089 are strongly encouraged.