AGILE detection of a gamma-ray flare from the PSR B1259-63 region

ATel #6231; C. Pittori, F. Verrecchia (ASDC and INAF/OAR), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS, and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), V. Fioretti (INAF/IASF-Bo), G. Piano (INAF/IAPS), F. Lucarelli (ASDC and INAF/OAR), E. Striani (CIFS and INAF/IAPS), S. Vercellone (INAF/IASF-Pa), A. Bulgarelli (INAF/IASF-Bo), I. Donnarumma (INAF/IAPS), M. Cardillo (INAF/OA-Arcetri and INAF/IAPS), F. Gianotti, M. Trifoglio (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Giuliani, S. Mereghetti, P. Caraveo, F. Perotti (INAF/IASF-Mi), A. Chen (Wits University and INAF/IASF-Mi), S. Colafrancesco (INAF/OAR and Wits University), 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, A. Trois, V. Vittorini (INAF/IAPS), F. Fuschino, M. Galli, C. Labanti, M. Marisaldi, G. Di Cocco (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Pellizzoni (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), P. Giommi (ASDC), L. Salotti, and G. Valentini (ASI)
on 13 Jun 2014; 21:59 UT
Credential Certification: Francesco Verrecchia (francesco.verrecchia@asdc.asi.it)

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Recently, the post-periastron phase of the pulsar binary system PSR B1259-63 has attracted considerable attention (Atels #6204, #6216 and #6225).

AGILE is now detecting transient gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV from a source positionally consistent with the binary pulsar PSR B1259-63.

Integrating from 2014-06-11 04:00 UT to 2014-06-13 10:30 UT, a preliminary maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection positioned in the 100 MeV < E < 200 MeV band at Galactic coordinates (l,b) = (305.11,-0.95) +/- 0.9 (stat.) +/- 0.2 (syst.) (RA=197.79, Dec=-63.74 J2000). The gamma-ray flux is F =(4.4 +/-1.5) x 10E-6 ph/cm2/sec for photon energies higher than 100 MeV.

This measurement was obtained with AGILE observing a large portion of the sky in spinning mode. Multifrequency observations of the source are strongly encouraged.