Fermi gamma-ray space telescope observations of the gamma-ray outburst from 3C454.3 in November 2010

A. A. Abdo, M. Ackermann, M. Ajello, A. Allafort, L. Baldini, J. Ballet, G. Barbiellini, D. Bastieri, R. Bellazzini, B. Berenji, R. D. Blandford, E. D. Bloom, E. Bonamente, A. W. Borgland, A. Bouvier, J. Bregeon, M. Brigida, P. Bruel, R. Buehler, S. BusonG. A. Caliandro, R. A. Cameron, P. A. Caraveo, J. M. Casandjian, E. Cavazzuti, C. Cecchi, E. Charles, A. Chekhtman, C. C. Cheung, J. Chiang, S. Ciprini, R. Claus, J. Conrad, S. Cutini, F. D'Ammando, A. De Angelis, F. De Palma, C. D. Dermer, S. W. Digel, E. Do Couto E Silva, P. S. Drell, R. Dubois, D. Dumora, L. Escande, C. Favuzzi, S. J. Fegan, E. C. Ferrara, P. Fortin, Y. Fukazawa, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, D. Gasparrini, N. Gehrels, S. Germani, N. Giglietto, P. Giommi, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, I. A. Grenier, J. E. Grove, S. Guiriec, D. Hadasch, M. Hayashida, E. Hays, D. Horan, R. Itoh, G. Jóhannesson, A. S. Johnson, T. Kamae, H. Katagiri, J. Kataoka, J. Knödlseder, M. Kuss, J. Lande, S. Larsson, L. Latronico, S. H. Lee, F. Longo, F. Loparco, B. Lott, M. N. Lovellette, P. Lubrano, G. M. Madejski, A. Makeev, M. N. Mazziotta, W. McConville, J. E. McEnery, P. F. Michelson, W. Mitthumsiri, T. Mizuno, A. A. Moiseev, C. Monte, M. E. Monzani, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, S. Murgia, M. Naumann-Godo, S. Nishino, P. L. Nolan, J. P. Norris, E. Nuss, T. Ohsugi, A. Okumura, E. Orlando, J. F. Ormes, D. Paneque, V. Pelassa, M. Pesce-Rollins, M. Pierbattista, F. Piron, T. A. Porter, S. Rainò, R. Rando, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, S. Ritz, M. Roth, H. F.W. Sadrozinski, D. Sanchez, J. D. Scargle, T. L. Schalk, C. Sgrò, E. J. Siskind, P. D. Smith, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, M. S. Strickman, H. Takahashi, T. Takahashi, T. Tanaka, Y. Tanaka, J. G. Thayer, J. B. Thayer, D. J. Thompson, L. Tibaldo, D. F. Torres, G. Tosti, A. Tramacere, E. Troja, J. Vandenbroucke, V. Vasileiou, G. Vianello, N. Vilchez, V. Vitale, A. P. Waite, P. Wang, B. L. Winer, K. S. Wood, Z. Yang, M. Ziegler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

180 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The flat-spectrum radio quasar 3C454.3 underwent an extraordinary 5 day γ-ray outburst in 2010 November when the daily flux measured with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) at photon energies E > 100MeV reached (66 2) × 10-6 photons cm-2 s-1. This is a factor of three higher than its previous maximum flux recorded in 2009 December and ≳ 5 times brighter than the Vela pulsar, which is normally the brightest source in the γ-ray sky. The 3hr peak flux was (85 5)×10-6 photons cm-2 s-1, corresponding to an apparent isotropic luminosity of (2.1 0.2)×1050 erg s-1, the highest ever recorded for a blazar. In this Letter, we investigate the features of this exceptional event in the γ-ray band of the Fermi-LAT. In contrast to previous flares of the same source observed with the Fermi-LAT, clear spectral changes are observed during the flare.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL26
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume733
Issue number2 PART 2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • galaxies: active

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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