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Title: FERMI -large area telescope observations of the exceptional gamma-ray outbursts of 3C 273 in 2009 September

Abstract

Here, we present the light curves and spectral data of two exceptionally luminous gamma-ray outbursts observed by the Large Area Telescope experiment on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope from 3C 273 in 2009 September. During these flares, having a duration of a few days, the source reached its highest γ-ray flux ever measured. This allowed us to study, in some details, their spectral and temporal structures. The rise and the decay are asymmetric on timescales of 6 hr, and the spectral index was significantly harder during the flares than during the preceding 11 months. Lastly, we also found that short, very intense flares put out the same time-integrated energy as long, less intense flares like that observed in 2009 August.

Authors:
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Publication Date:
Research Org.:
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Contributing Org.:
The Fermi-LAT Collaboration
OSTI Identifier:
1357562
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-76SF00515
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal. Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 714; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8205
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; gamma rays galaxies; quasars individual (3C 273)

Citation Formats

Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G., Bastieri, D., Bechtol, K., Bellazzini, R., Berenji, B., Blandford, R. D., Bloom, E. D., Bonamente, E., Borgland, A. W., Bouvier, A., Bregeon, J., Brez, A., Brigida, M., Bruel, P., Burnett, T. H., Buson, S., Caliandro, G. A., Cameron, R. A., Cannon, A., Caraveo, P. A., Carrigan, S., Casandjian, J. M., Cavazzuti, E., Cecchi, C., Çelik, Ö., Charles, E., Chekhtman, A., Cheung, C. C., Chiang, J., Ciprini, S., Claus, R., Cohen-Tanugi, J., Conrad, J., Costamante, L., Dermer, C. D., de Angelis, A., de Palma, F., do Couto e Silva, E., Drell, P. S., Dubois, R., Dumora, D., Farnier, C., Favuzzi, C., Fegan, S. J., Focke, W. B., Frailis, M., Fukazawa, Y., Funk, S., Fusco, P., Gargano, F., Gasparrini, D., Gehrels, N., Germani, S., Giglietto, N., Giommi, P., Giordano, F., Glanzman, T., Godfrey, G., Grenier, I. A., Grondin, M. -H., Guiriec, S., Hayashida, M., Hays, E., Hill, A. B., Horan, D., Hughes, R. E., Jóhannesson, G., Johnson, A. S., Johnson, W. N., Kamae, T., Katagiri, H., Kataoka, J., Kawai, N., Knödlseder, J., Kuss, M., Lande, J., Larsson, S., Latronico, L., Lemoine-Goumard, M., Garde, M. Llena, Longo, F., Loparco, F., Lott, B., Lovellette, M. N., Lubrano, P., Madejski, G. M., Makeev, A., Mansutti, O., Massaro, E., Mazziotta, M. N., McConville, W., McEnery, J. E., Meurer, C., Michelson, P. F., Mitthumsiri, W., Mizuno, T., Moiseev, A. A., Monte, C., Monzani, M. E., Morselli, A., Moskalenko, I. V., Murgia, S., Nolan, P. L., Norris, J. P., Nuss, E., Ohsugi, T., Omodei, N., Orlando, E., Ormes, J. F., Paneque, D., Panetta, J. H., Pelassa, V., Pepe, M., Pesce-Rollins, M., Piron, F., Porter, T. A., Rainò, S., Rando, R., Razzano, M., Reimer, A., Reimer, O., Ritz, S., Rodriguez, A. Y., Romani, R. W., Roth, M., Ryde, F., Sadrozinski, H. F. -W., Sander, A., Scargle, J. D., Schalk, T. L., Sgrò, C., Siskind, E. J., Smith, P. D., Spandre, G., Spinelli, P., Starck, J. -L., Strickman, M. S., Suson, D. J., Tajima, H., Takahashi, H., Takahashi, T., Tanaka, T., Thayer, J. B., Thayer, J. G., Thompson, D. J., Tibaldo, L., Torres, D. F., Tosti, G., Tramacere, A., Uchiyama, Y., Usher, T. L., Vasileiou, V., Vilchez, N., Vitale, V., Waite, A. P., Wang, P., Wehrle, A. E., Winer, B. L., Wood, K. S., Yang, Z., Ylinen, T., and Ziegler, M. FERMI -large area telescope observations of the exceptional gamma-ray outbursts of 3C 273 in 2009 September. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/714/1/L73.
Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G., Bastieri, D., Bechtol, K., Bellazzini, R., Berenji, B., Blandford, R. D., Bloom, E. D., Bonamente, E., Borgland, A. W., Bouvier, A., Bregeon, J., Brez, A., Brigida, M., Bruel, P., Burnett, T. H., Buson, S., Caliandro, G. A., Cameron, R. A., Cannon, A., Caraveo, P. A., Carrigan, S., Casandjian, J. M., Cavazzuti, E., Cecchi, C., Çelik, Ö., Charles, E., Chekhtman, A., Cheung, C. C., Chiang, J., Ciprini, S., Claus, R., Cohen-Tanugi, J., Conrad, J., Costamante, L., Dermer, C. D., de Angelis, A., de Palma, F., do Couto e Silva, E., Drell, P. S., Dubois, R., Dumora, D., Farnier, C., Favuzzi, C., Fegan, S. J., Focke, W. B., Frailis, M., Fukazawa, Y., Funk, S., Fusco, P., Gargano, F., Gasparrini, D., Gehrels, N., Germani, S., Giglietto, N., Giommi, P., Giordano, F., Glanzman, T., Godfrey, G., Grenier, I. A., Grondin, M. -H., Guiriec, S., Hayashida, M., Hays, E., Hill, A. B., Horan, D., Hughes, R. E., Jóhannesson, G., Johnson, A. S., Johnson, W. N., Kamae, T., Katagiri, H., Kataoka, J., Kawai, N., Knödlseder, J., Kuss, M., Lande, J., Larsson, S., Latronico, L., Lemoine-Goumard, M., Garde, M. Llena, Longo, F., Loparco, F., Lott, B., Lovellette, M. N., Lubrano, P., Madejski, G. M., Makeev, A., Mansutti, O., Massaro, E., Mazziotta, M. N., McConville, W., McEnery, J. E., Meurer, C., Michelson, P. F., Mitthumsiri, W., Mizuno, T., Moiseev, A. A., Monte, C., Monzani, M. E., Morselli, A., Moskalenko, I. V., Murgia, S., Nolan, P. L., Norris, J. P., Nuss, E., Ohsugi, T., Omodei, N., Orlando, E., Ormes, J. F., Paneque, D., Panetta, J. H., Pelassa, V., Pepe, M., Pesce-Rollins, M., Piron, F., Porter, T. A., Rainò, S., Rando, R., Razzano, M., Reimer, A., Reimer, O., Ritz, S., Rodriguez, A. Y., Romani, R. W., Roth, M., Ryde, F., Sadrozinski, H. F. -W., Sander, A., Scargle, J. D., Schalk, T. L., Sgrò, C., Siskind, E. J., Smith, P. D., Spandre, G., Spinelli, P., Starck, J. -L., Strickman, M. S., Suson, D. J., Tajima, H., Takahashi, H., Takahashi, T., Tanaka, T., Thayer, J. B., Thayer, J. G., Thompson, D. J., Tibaldo, L., Torres, D. F., Tosti, G., Tramacere, A., Uchiyama, Y., Usher, T. L., Vasileiou, V., Vilchez, N., Vitale, V., Waite, A. P., Wang, P., Wehrle, A. E., Winer, B. L., Wood, K. S., Yang, Z., Ylinen, T., & Ziegler, M. FERMI -large area telescope observations of the exceptional gamma-ray outbursts of 3C 273 in 2009 September. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/714/1/L73
Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G., Bastieri, D., Bechtol, K., Bellazzini, R., Berenji, B., Blandford, R. D., Bloom, E. D., Bonamente, E., Borgland, A. W., Bouvier, A., Bregeon, J., Brez, A., Brigida, M., Bruel, P., Burnett, T. H., Buson, S., Caliandro, G. A., Cameron, R. A., Cannon, A., Caraveo, P. A., Carrigan, S., Casandjian, J. M., Cavazzuti, E., Cecchi, C., Çelik, Ö., Charles, E., Chekhtman, A., Cheung, C. C., Chiang, J., Ciprini, S., Claus, R., Cohen-Tanugi, J., Conrad, J., Costamante, L., Dermer, C. D., de Angelis, A., de Palma, F., do Couto e Silva, E., Drell, P. S., Dubois, R., Dumora, D., Farnier, C., Favuzzi, C., Fegan, S. J., Focke, W. B., Frailis, M., Fukazawa, Y., Funk, S., Fusco, P., Gargano, F., Gasparrini, D., Gehrels, N., Germani, S., Giglietto, N., Giommi, P., Giordano, F., Glanzman, T., Godfrey, G., Grenier, I. A., Grondin, M. -H., Guiriec, S., Hayashida, M., Hays, E., Hill, A. B., Horan, D., Hughes, R. E., Jóhannesson, G., Johnson, A. S., Johnson, W. N., Kamae, T., Katagiri, H., Kataoka, J., Kawai, N., Knödlseder, J., Kuss, M., Lande, J., Larsson, S., Latronico, L., Lemoine-Goumard, M., Garde, M. Llena, Longo, F., Loparco, F., Lott, B., Lovellette, M. N., Lubrano, P., Madejski, G. M., Makeev, A., Mansutti, O., Massaro, E., Mazziotta, M. N., McConville, W., McEnery, J. E., Meurer, C., Michelson, P. F., Mitthumsiri, W., Mizuno, T., Moiseev, A. A., Monte, C., Monzani, M. E., Morselli, A., Moskalenko, I. V., Murgia, S., Nolan, P. L., Norris, J. P., Nuss, E., Ohsugi, T., Omodei, N., Orlando, E., Ormes, J. F., Paneque, D., Panetta, J. H., Pelassa, V., Pepe, M., Pesce-Rollins, M., Piron, F., Porter, T. A., Rainò, S., Rando, R., Razzano, M., Reimer, A., Reimer, O., Ritz, S., Rodriguez, A. Y., Romani, R. W., Roth, M., Ryde, F., Sadrozinski, H. F. -W., Sander, A., Scargle, J. D., Schalk, T. L., Sgrò, C., Siskind, E. J., Smith, P. D., Spandre, G., Spinelli, P., Starck, J. -L., Strickman, M. S., Suson, D. J., Tajima, H., Takahashi, H., Takahashi, T., Tanaka, T., Thayer, J. B., Thayer, J. G., Thompson, D. J., Tibaldo, L., Torres, D. F., Tosti, G., Tramacere, A., Uchiyama, Y., Usher, T. L., Vasileiou, V., Vilchez, N., Vitale, V., Waite, A. P., Wang, P., Wehrle, A. E., Winer, B. L., Wood, K. S., Yang, Z., Ylinen, T., and Ziegler, M. Mon . "FERMI -large area telescope observations of the exceptional gamma-ray outbursts of 3C 273 in 2009 September". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/714/1/L73. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1357562.
@article{osti_1357562,
title = {FERMI -large area telescope observations of the exceptional gamma-ray outbursts of 3C 273 in 2009 September},
author = {Abdo, A. A. and Ackermann, M. and Ajello, M. and Baldini, L. and Ballet, J. and Barbiellini, G. and Bastieri, D. and Bechtol, K. and Bellazzini, R. and Berenji, B. and Blandford, R. D. and Bloom, E. D. and Bonamente, E. and Borgland, A. W. and Bouvier, A. and Bregeon, J. and Brez, A. and Brigida, M. and Bruel, P. and Burnett, T. H. and Buson, S. and Caliandro, G. A. and Cameron, R. A. and Cannon, A. and Caraveo, P. A. and Carrigan, S. and Casandjian, J. M. and Cavazzuti, E. and Cecchi, C. and Çelik, Ö. and Charles, E. and Chekhtman, A. and Cheung, C. C. and Chiang, J. and Ciprini, S. and Claus, R. and Cohen-Tanugi, J. and Conrad, J. and Costamante, L. and Dermer, C. D. and de Angelis, A. and de Palma, F. and do Couto e Silva, E. and Drell, P. S. and Dubois, R. and Dumora, D. and Farnier, C. and Favuzzi, C. and Fegan, S. J. and Focke, W. B. and Frailis, M. and Fukazawa, Y. and Funk, S. and Fusco, P. and Gargano, F. and Gasparrini, D. and Gehrels, N. and Germani, S. and Giglietto, N. and Giommi, P. and Giordano, F. and Glanzman, T. and Godfrey, G. and Grenier, I. A. and Grondin, M. -H. and Guiriec, S. and Hayashida, M. and Hays, E. and Hill, A. B. and Horan, D. and Hughes, R. E. and Jóhannesson, G. and Johnson, A. S. and Johnson, W. N. and Kamae, T. and Katagiri, H. and Kataoka, J. and Kawai, N. and Knödlseder, J. and Kuss, M. and Lande, J. and Larsson, S. and Latronico, L. and Lemoine-Goumard, M. and Garde, M. Llena and Longo, F. and Loparco, F. and Lott, B. and Lovellette, M. N. and Lubrano, P. and Madejski, G. M. and Makeev, A. and Mansutti, O. and Massaro, E. and Mazziotta, M. N. and McConville, W. and McEnery, J. E. and Meurer, C. and Michelson, P. F. and Mitthumsiri, W. and Mizuno, T. and Moiseev, A. A. and Monte, C. and Monzani, M. E. and Morselli, A. and Moskalenko, I. V. and Murgia, S. and Nolan, P. L. and Norris, J. P. and Nuss, E. and Ohsugi, T. and Omodei, N. and Orlando, E. and Ormes, J. F. and Paneque, D. and Panetta, J. H. and Pelassa, V. and Pepe, M. and Pesce-Rollins, M. and Piron, F. and Porter, T. A. and Rainò, S. and Rando, R. and Razzano, M. and Reimer, A. and Reimer, O. and Ritz, S. and Rodriguez, A. Y. and Romani, R. W. and Roth, M. and Ryde, F. and Sadrozinski, H. F. -W. and Sander, A. and Scargle, J. D. and Schalk, T. L. and Sgrò, C. and Siskind, E. J. and Smith, P. D. and Spandre, G. and Spinelli, P. and Starck, J. -L. and Strickman, M. S. and Suson, D. J. and Tajima, H. and Takahashi, H. and Takahashi, T. and Tanaka, T. and Thayer, J. B. and Thayer, J. G. and Thompson, D. J. and Tibaldo, L. and Torres, D. F. and Tosti, G. and Tramacere, A. and Uchiyama, Y. and Usher, T. L. and Vasileiou, V. and Vilchez, N. and Vitale, V. and Waite, A. P. and Wang, P. and Wehrle, A. E. and Winer, B. L. and Wood, K. S. and Yang, Z. and Ylinen, T. and Ziegler, M.},
abstractNote = {Here, we present the light curves and spectral data of two exceptionally luminous gamma-ray outbursts observed by the Large Area Telescope experiment on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope from 3C 273 in 2009 September. During these flares, having a duration of a few days, the source reached its highest γ-ray flux ever measured. This allowed us to study, in some details, their spectral and temporal structures. The rise and the decay are asymmetric on timescales of 6 hr, and the spectral index was significantly harder during the flares than during the preceding 11 months. Lastly, we also found that short, very intense flares put out the same time-integrated energy as long, less intense flares like that observed in 2009 August.},
doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/714/1/L73},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal. Letters},
number = 1,
volume = 714,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Mon Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}

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