AGILE detects an extraordinary gamma-ray activity from the FSRQ 3C 454.3

The AGILE Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) has been detecting an extraordinary intense gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV from the flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 454.3. Integrating from 2009-12-02 06 30 UT to 2009-12-03 08 30 UT, a quick-look maximum likelihood analysis yields a source flux of about (1800 400)e-8 ph/cm2/sec (E > 100 MeV). This flux value greatly exceeds the value reported by AGILE in ATel #2322, showing a rapid increase (about 80%) of the gamma-ray flux of 3C 454.3 in the last 24 hours.