AGILE detection of a new episode of enhanced gamma-ray emission from the FSRQ CTA102
ATel #9840; F. Verrecchia (ASDC and INAF/OAR), P. Munar-Adrover (INAF/IAPS), C. Pittori, F. Lucarelli (ASDC and INAF/OAR), G. Minervini, G. Piano (INAF/IAPS), A. Bulgarelli (INAF/IASF-Bo), M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS, and Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), I. Donnarumma (INAF/IAPS), V. Fioretti, A. Zoli (INAF/IASF-Bo), S. Vercellone (INAF/OA-Brera), E. Striani (CIFS and 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), A. Argan, E. Costa, E. Del Monte, Y. Evangelista, M. Feroci, F. Lazzarotto, I. Lapshov, L. Pacciani, P. Soffitta, S. Sabatini, V. Vittorini (INAF/IAPS), G. Pucella, M. Rapisarda (ENEA-Frascati), G. Di Cocco, F. Fuschino, M. Galli, C. Labanti, M. Marisaldi (INAF/IASF-Bo), A. Pellizzoni, M. Pilia, A. Trois (INAF/OA-Cagliari), 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), N. Parmiggiani (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia), A. Ferrari (Univ. Torino and CIFS), F. Paoletti (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory), A. Antonelli (ASDC and INAF/OAR), P. Giommi (ASDC), L. Salotti, G. Valentini, and F. D'Amico (ASI)
on 9 Dec 2016; 18:19 UT
Credential Certification: Francesco Verrecchia (francesco.verrecchia@asdc.asi.it)
Subjects: Gamma Ray, >GeV, AGN, Blazar, Transient
AGILE is detecting a new episode of increased gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV from a position consistent with the flat spectrum radio quasar CTA 102 (also known as 4C +11.69, PKS 2230+11, 5BZQ J2232+1143 and as gamma-ray source as 3EG J2232+1147, 3FGL J2232.5+114), recently reported in flaring activity by AGILE on November 24 and 11, 2016 (ATel #9788, #9743), and in optical/NIR extraordinary outburst (ATel #9821, #9808 and #9801).
Integrating from 2016-12-07 12:00 UT to 2016-12-09 12:00 UT, a preliminary maximum likelihood analysis yields a detection at 8 sigma at a flux F(E>100 MeV)=(5.6 +/- 1.2) x 10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1, while on the integration from 2016-12-05 08:00 UT to 2016-12-07 UT 08:00, we detected a flux F(E > 100 MeV)=(2.7+/-0.8)x 10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1.
The current flux, the maximum ever measured by AGILE, is almost at the same level of ATel #9788 but after a fast flux variation.
This measurement was obtained with AGILE observing a large portion of the sky in spinning mode.
Multifrequency observations of CTA 102 are strongly encouraged.