Spitzer Space Telescope - Directors Discretionary Time Proposal #469

Joint Spitzer and AGILE observations of the blazar 3C 454.3

Principal Investigator: Immacolata Donnarumma 
           Institution: INAF, ISAF-Rome

Technical Contact: Immacolata Donnarumma, INAF ISAF-Rome 

Co-Investigators:
Filippo D'Ammando, INAF-IASF Rome

Science Category: AGN/Quasars/Radio Galaxies 
Observing Modes: IrsStare 
Hours Approved: 0.8 

Abstract:
We require SPITZER IRAC and MIPS observations for multifrequency 
follow-up of the blazar 3C 454.3. During the last three days AGILE is 
revealing a strong activity in the gamma-rays band. Joint Spitzer and AGILE
observations offers the unprecedented great opportunity to study the correlated 
variability in the low and high energy peaks. This will contribute to improve 
the understanding of the structure of the inner jet, the origin of the
seed photons for the IC process and then discriminating the different emission 
models in the red blazars during their high gamma-rays activity. The AGILE Team 
is going to activate a similar ToO to Swift, while a monitoring in the optical 
energy band is occurring thanks to WEBT. Therefore Spitzer observation of this 
blazar will give a unique and extraordinary opportunity to investigate its 
electromagnetic emission on a wide energy range in its strong flaring activity 
and then to determine its Spectral Energy Distribution.

SSC Note: IRS SL/LL observations were approved for this ToO program.