Fermi-LAT Detection of a Gamma-ray Flare from Cygnus X-3
ATel #9502; C. C. Cheung (Naval Research Laboratory), Alan Loh (CEA, University Paris Diderot), on behalf of the Fermi Large Area Telescope Collaboration
on 17 Sep 2016; 19:38 UT
Credential Certification: Teddy Cheung (ccheung@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, >GeV, Black Hole, Transient
The Large Area Telescope (LAT), one of the two instruments on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has observed a gamma-ray flare from the high-mass X-ray binary Cygnus X-3. Preliminary analysis indicates that on 2016 September 15 and 16, the gamma-ray source was observed with respective daily averaged fluxes (E>100MeV) of (2.2+/-0.4) x 10^-6 photons cm^-2 s^-1 and (2.8+/-0.4) x 10^-6 photons cm^-2 s^-1 (errors are statistical only). The gamma-ray flare detection coincides with the giant radio flare reported in ATel #9501.
Because Fermi operates in an all-sky scanning mode, regular gamma-ray monitoring of this source will continue. For this source the Fermi LAT contact persons are Alan Loh (alan.loh@cea.fr) and Stephane Corbel (stephane.corbel@cea.fr).
The Fermi LAT is a pair conversion telescope designed to cover the energy band from 20 MeV to greater than 300 GeV. It is the product of an international collaboration between NASA and DOE in the U.S. and many scientific institutions across France, Italy, Japan and Sweden.
