Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Observations Of Gamma-Ray Outbursts From 3C 454.3 In 2009 December And 2010 April

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/721/2/1383

Title: Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Observations Of Gamma-Ray Outbursts From 3C 454.3 In 2009 December And 2010 April

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Abstract

The flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 454.3 underwent an extraordinary outburst in December 2009 when it became the brightest -ray source in the sky for over one week. Its daily flux measured with the Fermi Large Area Telescope at photon energies E > 100 MeV reached F100 = 22 ± 1 × 10 ^-6 ph cm ^-2 s ^-1, representing the highest daily flux of any blazar ever recorded in high-energy -rays. It again became the brightest source in the sky in 2010 April, triggering a pointed-mode observation by Fermi. The correlated -ray temporal and spectral properties during these exceptional events are presented and discussed. The main results show flux variability over time scales less than 3 h and very mild spectral variability with an indication of gradual hardening preceding major flares. No consistent loop pattern emerged in the -ray spectral index vs flux plane. A minimum Doppler factor of ≈15 is derived, and the maximum energy of a photon from 3C 454.3 is ≈ 20 GeV. The spectral break at a few GeV is inconsistent with Klein-Nishina softening from power-law electrons scattering Lyα line radiation, and a break in the underlying electron spectrum in blazar leptonic models is implied.

Authors:

Ackermann, M. ^[1]

SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States); et al.

Publication Date:: 2010-09-09

Research Org.:: SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

Contributing Org.:: Fermmi LAT Collaboration

OSTI Identifier:: 1357526

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Astrophysical Journal

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 721; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X

Publisher:: Institute of Physics (IOP)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

Citation Formats


                    Ackermann, M. Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Observations Of Gamma-Ray Outbursts From 3C 454.3 In 2009 December And 2010 April.  United States: N. p., 2010. 
        Web.  doi:10.1088/0004-637X/721/2/1383.

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                    Ackermann, M. Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Observations Of Gamma-Ray Outbursts From 3C 454.3 In 2009 December And 2010 April.  United States.  doi:10.1088/0004-637X/721/2/1383.

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                    Ackermann, M. Thu .  
        "Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Observations Of Gamma-Ray Outbursts From 3C 454.3 In 2009 December And 2010 April".  United States.  doi:10.1088/0004-637X/721/2/1383.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1357526.

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@article{osti_1357526,

  title        = {Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Observations Of Gamma-Ray Outbursts From 3C 454.3 In 2009 December And 2010 April},

  author       = {Ackermann, M.},

  abstractNote = {The flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 454.3 underwent an extraordinary outburst in December 2009 when it became the brightest -ray source in the sky for over one week. Its daily flux measured with the Fermi Large Area Telescope at photon energies E > 100 MeV reached F100 = 22 ± 1 × 10-6 ph cm-2 s-1, representing the highest daily flux of any blazar ever recorded in high-energy -rays. It again became the brightest source in the sky in 2010 April, triggering a pointed-mode observation by Fermi. The correlated -ray temporal and spectral properties during these exceptional events are presented and discussed. The main results show flux variability over time scales less than 3 h and very mild spectral variability with an indication of gradual hardening preceding major flares. No consistent loop pattern emerged in the -ray spectral index vs flux plane. A minimum Doppler factor of ≈15 is derived, and the maximum energy of a photon from 3C 454.3 is ≈ 20 GeV. The spectral break at a few GeV is inconsistent with Klein-Nishina softening from power-law electrons scattering Lyα line radiation, and a break in the underlying electron spectrum in blazar leptonic models is implied.},

  doi          = {10.1088/0004-637X/721/2/1383},

  journal      = {Astrophysical Journal},

  number       = 2,

  volume       = 721,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2010},

  month        = {9}

}

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DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/721/2/1383

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