EGRET Detection of High-Energy Gamma Radiation from the OVV Quasar 3C 454.3

Authors

R. C. Hartman
D. L. Bertsch
B. L. Dingus
C. E. Fichtel
S. D. Hunter
G. Kanbach
D. A. Kniffen
Y. C. Lin
J. R. Mattox
H. A. Mayer-Hasselwander
P. F. Michelson
C. von Montigny
P. L. Nolan
B. G. Piner, Whittier CollegeFollow
E. Schneid
P. Sreekumar
D. J. Thompson

Publication Title

The Astrophysical Journal

Volume

407

Publication Date

1993

Document Type

Article

First and Last Page

L41

Abstract

High-energy gamma radiation has been observed from the optically violent variable (OVV) quasar 3C 454.3 (PKS 2251+158) by the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Observatory. During the 1992 January-February observation, the emission showed a power-law photon spectrum with an exponent of -2.18 +/- 0.08. The flux density (E> 100 MeV) was observed to vary within the range (0.4-1.4) x 10⁶ photon cm^-2 s^-1 on a time scale of less than a week. Lower sensitivity observations during 1992 April and May also detected emission within that range, but with lower statistical significance. An earlier low-sensitivity exposure during 1991 August gave a 95% confidence upper limit of 0.26 x 10⁶ photon cm^-2 s^-1. The similarity of the gamma-ray emission of 3C 454.3 to that of 3C 279 parallels the similarity of these two objects at lower frequencies.

Recommended Citation

Hartman, R. C., Bertsch, D. L., Dingus, B. L., Fichtel, C. E., Hunter, S. D., Kanbach, G., Kniffen, D. A., Lin, Y. C., Mattox, J. R., Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A., Michelson, P. F., von Montigny, C., Nolan, P. L., Piner, B. G., Schneid, E., Sreekumar, P., & Thompson, D. J. (1993). EGRET Detection of High-Energy Gamma Radiation from the OVV Quasar 3C 454.3. The Astrophysical Journal, 407, L41. Retrieved from https://poetcommons.whittier.edu/phys/59