The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november

S. Vercellone; E. Striani; V. Vittorini; I. Donnarumma; L. Pacciani; G. Pucella; M. Tavani; C. M. Raiteri; M. Villata; P. Romano; M. Fiocchi; A. Bazzano; V. Bianchin; C. Ferrigno; L. Maraschi; E. Pian; M. Türler; P. Ubertini; A. Bulgarelli; A. W. Chen; A. Giuliani; F. Longo; G. Barbiellini; M. Cardillo; P. W. Cattaneo; E. Del Monte; Y. Evangelista; M. Feroci; A. Ferrari; F. Fuschino; F. Gianotti; M. Giusti; F. Lazzarotto; A. Pellizzoni; G. Piano; M. Pilia; M. Rapisarda; A. Rappoldi; S. Sabatini; P. Soffitta; M. Trifoglio; A. Trois; P. Giommi; F. Lucarelli; C. Pittori; P. Santolamazza; F. Verrecchia; I. Agudo; H. D. Aller; M. F. Aller; A. A. Arkharov; U. Bach; A. Berdyugin; G. A. Borman; R. Chigladze; Yu S. Efimov; N. V. Efimova; J. L. Gómez; M. A. Gurwell; I. M. McHardy; M. Joshi; G. N. Kimeridze; T. Krajci; O. M. Kurtanidze; S. O. Kurtanidze; V. M. Larionov; E. Lindfors; S. N. Molina; D. A. Morozova; S. V. Nazarov; M. G. Nikolashvili; K. Nilsson; M. Pasanen; R. Reinthal; J. A. Ros; A. C. Sadun; T. Sakamoto; S. Sallum; S. G. Sergeev; R. D. Schwartz; L. A. Sigua; A. Sillanpää; K. V. Sokolovsky; V. Strelnitski; L. Takalo; B. Taylor; G. Walker

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38

The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november

S. Vercellone^*, E. Striani, V. Vittorini, I. Donnarumma, L. Pacciani, G. Pucella, M. Tavani, C. M. Raiteri, M. Villata, P. Romano, M. Fiocchi, A. Bazzano, V. Bianchin, C. Ferrigno, L. Maraschi, E. Pian, M. Türler, P. Ubertini, A. Bulgarelli, A. W. ChenA. Giuliani, F. Longo, G. Barbiellini, M. Cardillo, P. W. Cattaneo, E. Del Monte, Y. Evangelista, M. Feroci, A. Ferrari, F. Fuschino, F. Gianotti, M. Giusti, F. Lazzarotto, A. Pellizzoni, G. Piano, M. Pilia, M. Rapisarda, A. Rappoldi, S. Sabatini, P. Soffitta, M. Trifoglio, A. Trois, P. Giommi, F. Lucarelli, C. Pittori, P. Santolamazza, F. Verrecchia, I. Agudo, H. D. Aller, M. F. Aller, A. A. Arkharov, U. Bach, A. Berdyugin, G. A. Borman, R. Chigladze, Yu S. Efimov, N. V. Efimova, J. L. Gómez, M. A. Gurwell, I. M. McHardy, M. Joshi, G. N. Kimeridze, T. Krajci, O. M. Kurtanidze, S. O. Kurtanidze, V. M. Larionov, E. Lindfors, S. N. Molina, D. A. Morozova, S. V. Nazarov, M. G. Nikolashvili, K. Nilsson, M. Pasanen, R. Reinthal, J. A. Ros, A. C. Sadun, T. Sakamoto, S. Sallum, S. G. Sergeev, R. D. Schwartz, L. A. Sigua, A. Sillanpää, K. V. Sokolovsky, V. Strelnitski, L. Takalo, B. Taylor, G. Walker

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Since 2005, the blazar 3C 454.3 has shown remarkable flaring activity at all frequencies, and during the last four years it has exhibited more than one γ-ray flare per year, becoming the most active γ-ray blazar in the sky. We present for the first time the multi-wavelength AGILE, Swift, INTEGRAL, and GASP-WEBT data collected in order to explain the extraordinary γ-ray flare of 3C 454.3 which occurred in 2010 November. On 2010 November 20 (MJD 55520), 3C 454.3 reached a peak flux (E >100MeV) of F^p _γ = (6.8 ± 1.0) × 10^-5photons cm ^-2 s^-1 on a timescale of about 12 hr, more than a factor of six higher than the flux of the brightest steady γ-ray source, the Vela pulsar, and more than a factor of three brighter than its previous super-flare on 2009 December 2-3. The multi-wavelength data make possible a thorough study of the present event: the comparison with the previous outbursts indicates a close similarity to the one that occurred in 2009. By comparing the broadband emission before, during, and after the γ-ray flare, we find that the radio, optical, and X-ray emission varies within a factor of 2-3, whereas the γ-ray flux by a factor of 10. This remarkable behavior is modeled by an external Compton component driven by a substantial local enhancement of soft seed photons.

Original language	English
Article number	L38
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	736
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2011
Externally published	Yes

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10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38

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Vercellone, S., Striani, E., Vittorini, V., Donnarumma, I., Pacciani, L., Pucella, G., Tavani, M., Raiteri, C. M., Villata, M., Romano, P., Fiocchi, M., Bazzano, A., Bianchin, V., Ferrigno, C., Maraschi, L., Pian, E., Türler, M., Ubertini, P., Bulgarelli, A., ... Walker, G. (2011). The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 736(2), Article L38. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38

@article{13517f4068ef4f97b4ba00bb8217682f,

title = "The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november",

abstract = "Since 2005, the blazar 3C 454.3 has shown remarkable flaring activity at all frequencies, and during the last four years it has exhibited more than one γ-ray flare per year, becoming the most active γ-ray blazar in the sky. We present for the first time the multi-wavelength AGILE, Swift, INTEGRAL, and GASP-WEBT data collected in order to explain the extraordinary γ-ray flare of 3C 454.3 which occurred in 2010 November. On 2010 November 20 (MJD 55520), 3C 454.3 reached a peak flux (E >100MeV) of Fp γ = (6.8 ± 1.0) × 10-5photons cm -2 s-1 on a timescale of about 12 hr, more than a factor of six higher than the flux of the brightest steady γ-ray source, the Vela pulsar, and more than a factor of three brighter than its previous super-flare on 2009 December 2-3. The multi-wavelength data make possible a thorough study of the present event: the comparison with the previous outbursts indicates a close similarity to the one that occurred in 2009. By comparing the broadband emission before, during, and after the γ-ray flare, we find that the radio, optical, and X-ray emission varies within a factor of 2-3, whereas the γ-ray flux by a factor of 10. This remarkable behavior is modeled by an external Compton component driven by a substantial local enhancement of soft seed photons.",

keywords = "galaxies: active, galaxies: jets, quasars: general, quasars: individual (3C 454.3), radiation mechanisms: non-thermal",

author = "S. Vercellone and E. Striani and V. Vittorini and I. Donnarumma and L. Pacciani and G. Pucella and M. Tavani and Raiteri, {C. M.} and M. Villata and P. Romano and M. Fiocchi and A. Bazzano and V. Bianchin and C. Ferrigno and L. Maraschi and E. Pian and M. T{\"u}rler and P. Ubertini and A. Bulgarelli and Chen, {A. W.} and A. Giuliani and F. Longo and G. Barbiellini and M. Cardillo and Cattaneo, {P. W.} and {Del Monte}, E. and Y. Evangelista and M. Feroci and A. Ferrari and F. Fuschino and F. Gianotti and M. Giusti and F. Lazzarotto and A. Pellizzoni and G. Piano and M. Pilia and M. Rapisarda and A. Rappoldi and S. Sabatini and P. Soffitta and M. Trifoglio and A. Trois and P. Giommi and F. Lucarelli and C. Pittori and P. Santolamazza and F. Verrecchia and I. Agudo and Aller, {H. D.} and Aller, {M. F.} and Arkharov, {A. A.} and U. Bach and A. Berdyugin and Borman, {G. A.} and R. Chigladze and Efimov, {Yu S.} and Efimova, {N. V.} and G{\'o}mez, {J. L.} and Gurwell, {M. A.} and McHardy, {I. M.} and M. Joshi and Kimeridze, {G. N.} and T. Krajci and Kurtanidze, {O. M.} and Kurtanidze, {S. O.} and Larionov, {V. M.} and E. Lindfors and Molina, {S. N.} and Morozova, {D. A.} and Nazarov, {S. V.} and Nikolashvili, {M. G.} and K. Nilsson and M. Pasanen and R. Reinthal and Ros, {J. A.} and Sadun, {A. C.} and T. Sakamoto and S. Sallum and Sergeev, {S. G.} and Schwartz, {R. D.} and Sigua, {L. A.} and A. Sillanp{\"a}{\"a} and Sokolovsky, {K. V.} and V. Strelnitski and L. Takalo and B. Taylor and G. Walker",

year = "2011",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38",

language = "English",

volume = "736",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "2",

}

Vercellone, S, Striani, E, Vittorini, V, Donnarumma, I, Pacciani, L, Pucella, G, Tavani, M, Raiteri, CM, Villata, M, Romano, P, Fiocchi, M, Bazzano, A, Bianchin, V, Ferrigno, C, Maraschi, L, Pian, E, Türler, M, Ubertini, P, Bulgarelli, A, Chen, AW, Giuliani, A, Longo, F, Barbiellini, G, Cardillo, M, Cattaneo, PW, Del Monte, E, Evangelista, Y, Feroci, M, Ferrari, A, Fuschino, F, Gianotti, F, Giusti, M, Lazzarotto, F, Pellizzoni, A, Piano, G, Pilia, M, Rapisarda, M, Rappoldi, A, Sabatini, S, Soffitta, P, Trifoglio, M, Trois, A, Giommi, P, Lucarelli, F, Pittori, C, Santolamazza, P, Verrecchia, F, Agudo, I, Aller, HD, Aller, MF, Arkharov, AA, Bach, U, Berdyugin, A, Borman, GA, Chigladze, R, Efimov, YS, Efimova, NV, Gómez, JL, Gurwell, MA, McHardy, IM, Joshi, M, Kimeridze, GN, Krajci, T, Kurtanidze, OM, Kurtanidze, SO, Larionov, VM, Lindfors, E, Molina, SN, Morozova, DA, Nazarov, SV, Nikolashvili, MG, Nilsson, K, Pasanen, M, Reinthal, R, Ros, JA, Sadun, AC, Sakamoto, T, Sallum, S, Sergeev, SG, Schwartz, RD, Sigua, LA, Sillanpää, A, Sokolovsky, KV, Strelnitski, V, Takalo, L, Taylor, B & Walker, G 2011, 'The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 736, no. 2, L38. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38

TY - JOUR

T1 - The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky

T2 - Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november

AU - Vercellone, S.

AU - Striani, E.

AU - Vittorini, V.

AU - Donnarumma, I.

AU - Pacciani, L.

AU - Pucella, G.

AU - Tavani, M.

AU - Raiteri, C. M.

AU - Villata, M.

AU - Romano, P.

AU - Fiocchi, M.

AU - Bazzano, A.

AU - Bianchin, V.

AU - Ferrigno, C.

AU - Maraschi, L.

AU - Pian, E.

AU - Türler, M.

AU - Ubertini, P.

AU - Bulgarelli, A.

AU - Chen, A. W.

AU - Giuliani, A.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - Barbiellini, G.

AU - Cardillo, M.

AU - Cattaneo, P. W.

AU - Del Monte, E.

AU - Evangelista, Y.

AU - Feroci, M.

AU - Ferrari, A.

AU - Fuschino, F.

AU - Gianotti, F.

AU - Giusti, M.

AU - Lazzarotto, F.

AU - Pellizzoni, A.

AU - Piano, G.

AU - Pilia, M.

AU - Rapisarda, M.

AU - Rappoldi, A.

AU - Sabatini, S.

AU - Soffitta, P.

AU - Trifoglio, M.

AU - Trois, A.

AU - Giommi, P.

AU - Lucarelli, F.

AU - Pittori, C.

AU - Santolamazza, P.

AU - Verrecchia, F.

AU - Agudo, I.

AU - Aller, H. D.

AU - Aller, M. F.

AU - Arkharov, A. A.

AU - Bach, U.

AU - Berdyugin, A.

AU - Borman, G. A.

AU - Chigladze, R.

AU - Efimov, Yu S.

AU - Efimova, N. V.

AU - Gómez, J. L.

AU - Gurwell, M. A.

AU - McHardy, I. M.

AU - Joshi, M.

AU - Kimeridze, G. N.

AU - Krajci, T.

AU - Kurtanidze, O. M.

AU - Kurtanidze, S. O.

AU - Larionov, V. M.

AU - Lindfors, E.

AU - Molina, S. N.

AU - Morozova, D. A.

AU - Nazarov, S. V.

AU - Nikolashvili, M. G.

AU - Nilsson, K.

AU - Pasanen, M.

AU - Reinthal, R.

AU - Ros, J. A.

AU - Sadun, A. C.

AU - Sakamoto, T.

AU - Sallum, S.

AU - Sergeev, S. G.

AU - Schwartz, R. D.

AU - Sigua, L. A.

AU - Sillanpää, A.

AU - Sokolovsky, K. V.

AU - Strelnitski, V.

AU - Takalo, L.

AU - Taylor, B.

AU - Walker, G.

PY - 2011/8/1

Y1 - 2011/8/1

N2 - Since 2005, the blazar 3C 454.3 has shown remarkable flaring activity at all frequencies, and during the last four years it has exhibited more than one γ-ray flare per year, becoming the most active γ-ray blazar in the sky. We present for the first time the multi-wavelength AGILE, Swift, INTEGRAL, and GASP-WEBT data collected in order to explain the extraordinary γ-ray flare of 3C 454.3 which occurred in 2010 November. On 2010 November 20 (MJD 55520), 3C 454.3 reached a peak flux (E >100MeV) of Fp γ = (6.8 ± 1.0) × 10-5photons cm -2 s-1 on a timescale of about 12 hr, more than a factor of six higher than the flux of the brightest steady γ-ray source, the Vela pulsar, and more than a factor of three brighter than its previous super-flare on 2009 December 2-3. The multi-wavelength data make possible a thorough study of the present event: the comparison with the previous outbursts indicates a close similarity to the one that occurred in 2009. By comparing the broadband emission before, during, and after the γ-ray flare, we find that the radio, optical, and X-ray emission varies within a factor of 2-3, whereas the γ-ray flux by a factor of 10. This remarkable behavior is modeled by an external Compton component driven by a substantial local enhancement of soft seed photons.

AB - Since 2005, the blazar 3C 454.3 has shown remarkable flaring activity at all frequencies, and during the last four years it has exhibited more than one γ-ray flare per year, becoming the most active γ-ray blazar in the sky. We present for the first time the multi-wavelength AGILE, Swift, INTEGRAL, and GASP-WEBT data collected in order to explain the extraordinary γ-ray flare of 3C 454.3 which occurred in 2010 November. On 2010 November 20 (MJD 55520), 3C 454.3 reached a peak flux (E >100MeV) of Fp γ = (6.8 ± 1.0) × 10-5photons cm -2 s-1 on a timescale of about 12 hr, more than a factor of six higher than the flux of the brightest steady γ-ray source, the Vela pulsar, and more than a factor of three brighter than its previous super-flare on 2009 December 2-3. The multi-wavelength data make possible a thorough study of the present event: the comparison with the previous outbursts indicates a close similarity to the one that occurred in 2009. By comparing the broadband emission before, during, and after the γ-ray flare, we find that the radio, optical, and X-ray emission varies within a factor of 2-3, whereas the γ-ray flux by a factor of 10. This remarkable behavior is modeled by an external Compton component driven by a substantial local enhancement of soft seed photons.

KW - galaxies: active

KW - galaxies: jets

KW - quasars: general

KW - quasars: individual (3C 454.3)

KW - radiation mechanisms: non-thermal

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960922571&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38

DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/736/2/L38

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:79960922571

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 736

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 2

M1 - L38

ER -

The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: Agile and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during 2010 november

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