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We present the first catalog of high-confidence γ-ray sources detected by the AGILE satellite during observations performed from July 9, 2007 to June 30, 2008. Cataloged sources were detected by merging all the available data over the entire time period. AGILE, launched in April 2007, is an ASI mission devoted to γ-ray observations in the 30 MeV–50 GeV energy range, with simultaneous X-ray imaging capability in the 18–60 keV band. This catalog is based on Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) data for energies greater than 100 MeV. For the first AGILE catalog, we adopted a conservative analysis, with a high-quality event filter optimized to select γ-ray events within the central zone of the instrument field of view (radius of 40°). This is a significance-limited (4σ) catalog, and it is not a complete flux-limited sample due to the non-uniform first-year AGILE sky coverage. The catalog includes 47 sources, 21 of which are associated with confirmed or candidate pulsars, 13 with blazars (7 FSRQ, 4 BL Lacs, 2 unknown type), 2 with HMXRBs, 2 with SNRs, 1 with a colliding-wind binary system, and 8 with unidentified sources.

Context. AGILE is an Italian Space Agency mission dedicated to observing the gamma-ray Universe. The AGILE's very innovative instrumentation for the first time combines a gamma-ray imager (sensitive in the energy range 30 MeV–50 GeV), a hard X-ray imager (sensitive in the range 18–60 keV), a calorimeter (sensitive in the range 350 keV–100 MeV), and an anticoincidence system. AGILE was successfully launched on 2007 April 23 from the Indian base of Sriharikota and was inserted in an equatorial orbit with very low particle background.

Context. We report the detection by the AGILE satellite of an intense gamma-ray flare from the gamma-ray source 3EG J1255-0549, associated with the Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar 3C 279, during the AGILE pointings towards the Virgo Region on 2007 July 9-13.

Context. The mini-calorimeter (MCAL) instrument on-board the AGILE satellite is a non-imaging gamma-ray scintillation detector sensitive in the 300 keV–100 MeV energy range with a total on-axis geometrical area of 1400 cm2. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are one of the main scientific targets of the AGILE mission and the MCAL design as an independent self-triggering detector makes it a valuable all-sky monitor for GRBs. Furthermore MCAL is one of the very few operative instruments with microsecond timing capabilities in the MeV range.

Aims. We report the detection by the AGILE satellite of a rapid ?-ray flare from the source 1AGL J1511-0908, associated with the powerful ?-ray quasar PKS 1510-089, during a pointing centered on the Galactic center region from 1 March to 30 March 2008. This source has been continuosly monitored in the radio-to-optical bands by the GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT). Moreover, the ?-ray flaring episode triggered three ToO observations by the Swift satellite in three consecutive days, starting from 20 March 2008. The quasi-simultaneous radio-to-optical, UV, X-ray and ?-ray coverage allows us to make a detailed study of the multifrequency time evolution, the spectral energy distribution of this source, and its theoretical interpretation based on the synchrotron and inverse Compton?(IC) emission mechanisms.Methods. During the radio-to-optical monitoring provided by the GASP-WEBT, AGILE observed the source with its two co-aligned imagers, the gamma-ray imaging detector (GRID) and the hard X-ray imager (SuperAGILE), which are sensitive in the 30?MeV?30?GeV and 18?60?keV energy bands, respectively.Results. In the period 1?16?March 2008, AGILE detected ?-ray emission from PKS 1510-089 at a significance level of 6.2-? with an average flux over the entire period of (84 ?17) ?10-8?photons?cm-2s-1for photon energies above 100?MeV. After a predefined satellite re-pointing, between 17 and 21 March 2008, AGILE detected the source at a significance level of 7.3-?, with an average flux (E > 100?MeV) of (134 ?29) ?10-8?photons?cm-2?s-1and a peak level of (281 ?68) ?10-8?photons?cm-2?s-1with daily integration. During the observing period January-April 2008, the source also showed an intense and variable optical activity, with several flaring episodes and a significant increase in the flux was observed at millimetric frequencies. Moreover, in the X-ray band, the Swift/XRT observations seem to show a harder-when-brighter behavior of the source spectrum.Conclusions. The flat spectrum radio quasar PKS?1510-089 showed strong activity between January and April 2008, with episodes of rapid variability from radio to ?-ray energy bands, in particular with a rapid ?-ray flaring episode. The spectral energy distribution of mid-March 2008 is modeled with a homogeneous one-zone synchrotron self Compton (SSC) emission plus contributions from inverse Compton scattering of external photons from both the accretion disk and the broad line region. Indeed, some features in the optical-UV spectrum seem to indicate Seyfert-like components such as the little and the big blue bumps.

Context. ?We report the results of a 3-week multi-wavelength campaign targeting the flat spectrum radio quasar 3C?273 carried out with the AGILE gamma-ray mission, covering the 30?MeV?50?GeV and 18?60?keV, the REM observatory (covering the near-IR and optical), Swift (near-UV/Optical, 0.2?10?keV and 15?50?keV), INTEGRAL (3?200?keV) and Rossi XTE (2?12?keV). This is the first observational campaign including gamma-ray data, after the last EGRET observations, more than 8?years ago. Aims. This campaign has been organized by the AGILE team with the aim of observing, studying and modelling the broad band energy spectrum of the source, and its variability on a week timescale, testing the emission models describing the spectral energy distribution of this source. Methods. Our study was carried out using simultaneous light curves of the source flux from all the involved instruments, in the different energy ranges, to search for correlated variability. Then a time-resolved spectral energy distribution was used for a detailed physical modelling of the emission mechanisms. Results. The source was detected in gamma-rays only in the second week of our campaign, with a flux comparable to the level detected by EGRET in June?1991. We found an indication of a possible anti-correlation between the emission at gamma-rays and at soft and hard X-rays, supported by the complete set of instruments. Instead, optical data do not show short term variability, as expected for this source. Only in two preceding EGRET observations (in 1993 and 1997) 3C?273 showed intra-observation variability in gamma-rays. In the 1997 observation, flux variation in gamma-rays was associated with a synchrotron flare.?The energy-density spectrum with almost simultaneous data partially covers the regions of synchrotron emission, the big blue bump, and the inverse-Compton. We adopted a leptonic model to explain the hard X/gamma-ray emissions, although from our analysis hadronic models cannot be ruled out.?In the adopted model, the soft X-ray emission is consistent with combined synchrotron-self Compton and external Compton mechanisms, while hard X and gamma-ray emissions are compatible with external Compton from thermal photons of the disk. Under this model, the time evolution of the spectral energy distribution is well interpreted and modelled in terms of an acceleration episode of the electron population, leading to a shift in the inverse Compton peak towards higher energies.?

Context. We report the detection by the AGILE (Astro-rivelatore Gamma a Immagini LEggero) satellite of an intense gamma-ray flare from the source AGL?J1511-0909, associated with the powerful quasar PKS?1510-089, during ten days of observations from 23?August to 1?September?2007.Aims. During the observation period, the source was in optical decrease following a flaring event monitored by the GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT). The simultaneous gamma-ray, optical, and radio coverage allows us to study the spectral energy distribution and the theoretical models based on the synchrotron and inverse Compton (IC) emission mechanisms.Methods. AGILE observed the source with its two co-aligned imagers, the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector and the hard X-ray imager Super-AGILE sensitive in the 30?MeV?[Formula: see text][Formula: see text] 50?GeV and 18?[Formula: see text][Formula: see text] 60?keV bands, respectively.Results. Between 23 and 27 August 2007, AGILE detected gamma-ray emission from PKS?1510-089 when this source was located ~50?off-axis, with an average flux of (270 ?65)?? 10-8?photons?cm-2?s-1for photon energy above 100?MeV. In the following period, 28?August-1?September, after a satellite re-pointing, AGILE detected the source at ~35?off-axis, with an average flux (E?> 100?MeV) of (195 ?30)?? 10-8?photons?cm-2?s-1. No emission was detected by Super-AGILE, with a 3-? upper limit of 45?mCrab in 200?ks.Conclusions. The spectral energy distribution is modelled with a homogeneous one-zone synchrotron self Compton (SSC) emission plus contributions by external photons: the SSC?emission contributes primarily to the X-ray band, whereas the contribution of the IC from the external disc and the broad line region match the hard gamma-ray spectrum observed.

GRB 080514B? is the first gamma ray burst (GRB), since the time of EGRET, for which individual photons of energy above several tens of MeV have been detected with a pair-conversion tracker telescope. This burst was discovered with the Italian AGILE gamma-ray satellite. The GRB was localized by a cooperation between AGILE and the interplanetary network (IPN). The gamma-ray imager (GRID) estimate of the position, obtained before the SuperAGILE-IPN localization, is found to be consistent with the burst position. The hard X-ray emission observed by SuperAGILE lasted about 7?s, while there is evidence that the emission above 30?MeV extends for a longer duration (at least?13?s). Similar behavior has been seen from a few other GRBs observed with EGRET. However, during the brightest phases, the latter measurements were affected by instrumental dead time effects, resulting in only lower limits to the burst intensity. Thanks to the small dead time of the AGILE/GRID we could assess that in the case of GRB 080514B?the gamma-ray to X-ray flux ratio changes significantly between the prompt and extended emission phase.

Aims. We report the ?-ray activity from the intermediate BL?Lac S5?0716+714 during observations acquired by the AGILE satellite in September and October?2007. These detections of activity were contemporaneous with a period of intense optical activity, which was monitored by GASP?WEBT. This simultaneous optical and ?-ray coverage allows us to study in detail the light curves, time lags, ?-ray photon spectrum, and Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) during different states of activity.Methods. AGILE observed the source with its two co-aligned imagers, the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) and the hard X-ray imager (Super-AGILE), which are sensitive to the 30?MeV?50?GeV and 18?60?keV energy ranges, respectively. Observations were completed in two different periods, the first between 2007 September?4?23, and the second between 2007 October?24?November?1.Results. Over the period 2007 September?7?12, AGILE detected ?-ray emission from the source at a significance level of 9.6-? with an average flux (E > 100?MeV) of (97 ? 15) ? 10-8?photons?cm-2?s-1, which increased by a factor of at least four within three days. No emission was detected by Super-AGILE for the energy range 18?60?keV to a 3-? upper limit of 10?mCrab in 335?ks. In October 2007, AGILE repointed toward S5?0716+714 following an intense optical flare, measuring an average flux of (47 ? 11) ? 10-8?photons?cm-2?s-1at a significance level of 6.0-?. Conclusions. The ?-ray flux of S5?0716+714 detected by?AGILE is the highest ever detected for this blazar and one of the most intense??-ray fluxes detected from a BL?Lac?object. The SED of mid-September appears to be consistent with the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission model, but only by including two SSC components of different variabilities.

Context. We present the AGILE gamma-ray observations of the field containing the puzzling gamma-ray source 3EG?J1835+5918. This source is one of the most remarkable unidentified EGRET sources.Aims. An unprecedentedly long AGILE monitoring of this source yields important information on the positional error box, flux evolution, and spectrum.Methods. 3EG?J1835+5918 has been in the AGILE field of view several times in 2007 and?2008 for a total observing time of 138?days from 2007 Sep.?04 to 2008 June?30 encompassing several weeks of continuous coverage.Results. With an exposure time approximately twice that of EGRET, AGILE confirms the existence of a prominent gamma-ray source (AGL?J1836+5926) at a position consistent with that of EGRET, although with a remarkably lower average flux value for photon energies greater than 100?MeV. A 5-day bin temporal analysis of the whole data set of AGL?J1836+5926 shows some evidence for variability of the gamma-ray flux. The source spectrum between 100?MeV and 1?GeV can be fitted with a power law with photon index in the range 1.6?1.7, fully consistent with the EGRET value.Conclusions. The faint X-ray source RX?J1836.2+5925 that has been proposed as a possible counterpart of 3EG?J1835+5918 is well within the AGILE error box. Future continuous monitoring (both by AGILE and GLAST) is needed to confirm the gamma-ray flux variability and to unveil the source origin, a subject that is currently being pursued through a multiwavelength search for counterparts.

We present the results of a series of optical, UV, X-ray and ?-ray observations of the BL?Lac object S50716+714 carried out by the Swift and AGILE satellites in late 2007 when the blazar was flaring close to its historical maximum at optical frequencies. We have found that the optical through soft X-ray emission, likely due to synchrotron radiation, was highly variable and displayed a different behavior in the optical UV and soft X-ray bands. The 4-10?keV flux, most probably dominated by the inverse Compton component, instead remained constant. The counting statistics in the relatively short AGILE GRID observation was low and consistent with a constant ?-ray flux at a level similar to the maximum observed by EGRET. An estimate of the ?-ray spectral slope gives a value of the photon index that is close to?2, suggesting that the peak of the inverse Compton component in the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) is within the AGILE energy band. The different variability behavior observed in different parts of the SED exclude interpretations predicting highly correlated flux variability like changes in the beaming factor or the magnetic field in simple SSC scenarios. The observed SED changes may instead be interpreted as due to the sum of two SSC components, one of which is constant while the other is variable and with a systematically higher synchrotron peak energy.

GRB 070724B is the first gamma ray burst localized by SuperAGILE, the hard X-ray monitor aboard the AGILE?satellite. The coordinates of the event were published ~19?h after the trigger. The Swift X-Ray Telescope pointed at the SuperAGILE location and detected the X-ray afterglow inside the SuperAGILE error circle. The AGILE gamma-ray Tracker and Minicalorimeter did not detect any significant gamma ray emission associated with GRB?070724B in the MeV and GeV range, neither prompt nor delayed. Searches for the optical afterglow were performed by the Swift UVOT and the Palomar automated 60-inch telescopes, resulting in no significant detection. Similarly, the Very Large Array did not detect any radio afterglow. This is the first GRB?event associated with an X-ray afterglow with a firm upper limit in the 100?MeV-30?GeV energy range.

Abstract: The possibility to realize a high sensitive thermocouple by means of boron doped chemical vapour deposition (CVD) diamond was investigated. The thermoelectric power of p-type diamond, grown by plasma enhanced CVD was studied for films of electrical resistivity in the 0.2–40 Ω cm range in order to asses the dependence of thermocouple sensitivity on the doping level. The p-type diamond films were prepared by CH3OH + B2O3 vapour addition to a 1% CH4–H2 gas mixture during the growth. The conductive films were then tested tracing the I–V characteristic in order to study the conduction properties of the films. An appropriate experimental setup was built to evaluate the thermoelectric properties of the grown samples for different temperatures imposed between two ends of the samples. Firstly, the output voltage was measured maintaining a reference temperature of 273 K at one end and varying the second temperature between 275.5 and 360.5 K. A constant value of the temperature drop of 5 K was then used for an accurate evaluation of the thermoelectric properties of the diamond films for different value of the average temperature. The measurements provided values of thermoelectric power in the range 0.3–0.6 mV/K while conductivity increases. These values showed different decreasing behaviour with increasing temperature for different resistivity of the sample. In particular, more relevant changes in thermoelectric power were measured for high resistive samples.

Carrier free paths in Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) diamond films depend on the presence of traps, which therefore strongly affect the performance of those CVD diamond based devices which rely on the electronic properties of the material, like radiation detectors. For the same reason, these devices can in turn be used as tools to study carrier dynamics.It is well known that some traps may be saturated by pre-irradiation with ionizing radiation (e.g. β-particles), a process called “pumping” or “priming”. Not all traps behave in the same way. Due to the large bandgap of diamond, both shallow (not affected by pumping) and deep traps for electrons and holes may exist.We measured, using 5.5 MeV 241Am α-particles, the response of high quality CVD diamond based detectors after successive annealing steps performed at selected temperatures. The analisys of the decay of the detector efficency with annealing time at several temperatures allows a quantitative evaluation of the activation energy of these defects. Two main trapping centres connected to the pumping process were found, both related to holes, having activation energies of about 1.6 eV and 1.3 eV respectively. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A single-crystal homoepitaxial CVD diamond film, grown on a Ib-type diamond substrate, was analysed using optical and electro-optical measurements. The type and the distribution of its crystalline defects are discussed in connection with its photoconductive response to deep UV light. A similar device based on a high quality polycrystalline CVD diamond was also analysed using the same techniques in order to compare the results. Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) have been used to assess the crystalline quality and to study the distribution of defects in the films, respectively. The results of the electro-optical measurements show that the single crystal diamond has very high responsivity and signal-to-noise ratio. Hence, the role of defects on the detection performance is discussed. (© 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The present work was performed on an Al-9%Si-3.2 % Cu-1 % Fe-0.17 % Mn-0.04 % Mg (A380.1) alloy, in the unmodified and Sr-modified (350 ppm Sr) conditions. Three pouring temperatures, 750 °C, 720 °C and 620 °C, were used in each case. The liquid metal was poured into a hot graphite mould, cold metallic mould and cold water which produced castings whose microstructures exhibited average dendrite arm spacings (DASs) of ∼45 μm, ∼15 μm, and ∼5 μm, respectively. The microstructures were analysed using optical microscopy, and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Tensile test bars were also prepared using a Stahl permanent mould (type ASTM 108-B), each Stahl mould casting providing two test bars. The test bars were tensile tested in the T6 condition (6–8 bars per composition). The results obtained show that the presence of Sr leads to precipitation of a large part of the iron intermetallics in the form of coarse pre-dendritic particles situated within the α-Al dendrites, instead of in the interdendritic regions. This is expected to homogenise the stress distribution across the alloy matrix, and hence lead to better tensile properties. In the alloy containing a higher Fe-content (1.4% Fe), but the same amount of Mn, addition of 0.08% Be together with 0.02% Sr is equivalent to the addition of 1% Mn (for an Mn/Fe ratio of 0.7) in terms of the tensile properties. The results are discussed in detail in the paper.

The observation of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) in the gamma ray band has been advanced by the AGILE and Fermi satellites after the era of the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. AGILE and Fermi are showing that the GeV-bright GRBs share a set of common features, particularly the high fluence from the keV up to the GeV energy bands, the high value of the minimum Lorentz factor, an extended emission of gamma rays, which is often delayed with respect to lower energies, and finally the possible multiple spectral components. GRB 100724B, localised in a joint effort by Fermi and the InterPlanetary Newtork, is the brightest burst detected in gamma rays so far by AGILE. Characteristic features of GRB 100724B are the simultaneous emissions at MeV and GeV, without delayed onset or any time lag as shown by the analysis of the cross correlation function, and the significant spectral evolution in hard X-rays over the event duration. In this paper we show the analysis of the AGILE data of GRB 100724B and discuss its features in the context of the bursts observed so far in gamma rays and the recently proposed models.

We report on the extreme γ-ray activity from the flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) PKS 1510−089 observed by the AGILE satellite in March 2009. In the same period a radio-to-optical monitoring of the source was provided by the GASP–WEBT and REM facilities. In the radio band we made use also of multi-epoch 15-GHz Very Long Baseline Array data from the MOJAVE Program to get information on the parsec-scale structure. Moreover, several Swift target of opportunity observations were triggered, adding important information on the source behaviour from optical/UV to hard X-rays. We paid particular attention to the calibration of the Swift/UVOT data to make it suitable to the blazars spectra. Simultaneous observations from radio to γrays allowed us to study in detail the correlation among the emission variability at differentfrequencies and to investigate the mechanisms at work during this high activity state of the source.

Context.Identification of γ-ray-emitting Galactic sources is a long-standing problem in astrophysics. One such source, 1AGL J2022+4032, coincident with the interior of the radio shell of the supernova remnant Gamma Cygni (SNR G78.2+2.1) in the Cygnus region, has recently been identified by Fermi as a γ-ray pulsar, LAT PSR J2021+4026.

Context.We report the detection by the AGILE satellite of intense γ-ray activity from the source 1AGL J0538 − 4424, associated with the low-energy-peaked BL Lac PKS 0537 − 441, during a target of opportunity (ToO) observation performed on 2008 October 10–17, triggered by a Fermi-LAT alert, together with REM and Swift observations.

Context. Cygnus X-1 (Cyg X-1) is a high mass X-ray binary system, known to be a black hole candidate and one of the brightest sources in the X-ray sky, which shows both variability on all timescales and frequent flares. The source spends most of the time in a hard spectral state, dominated by a power-law emission, with occasional transitions to the soft and intermediate states, where a strong blackbody component emerges.Aims. We present the observation of Cyg X-1 in a hard spectral state performed during the AGILE science verification phase and observing cycle 1 in hard X-rays (with SuperAGILE) and gamma rays (with the gamma ray imaging detector) and lasting for about 160 days with a live time of ~6 Ms.Methods. We investigated the variability of Cyg X-1 in hard X-rays on different timescales, from ~300 s up to one day, and we applied different tools of timing analysis, such as the autocorrelation function, the first-order structure function, and the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, to our data (from SuperAGILE) and to the simultaneous data in soft X-rays (from RXTE/ASM). We concluded our investigation with a search for emission in the energy range above 100 MeV with the maximum likelihood technique.Results. In the hard X-ray band, the flux of Cyg X-1 shows its typical erratic fluctuations on all timescales with variations of about a factor of two that do not significantly affect the shape of the energy spectrum. From the first-order structure function, we find that the X-ray emission of Cyg X-1 is characterized by antipersistence(anticorrelation in the time series, with an increase in the emission likely followed by a decrease), indicative of a negative feedback mechanism at work. In the gamma ray data a statistically significant point-like source at the position of Cyg X-1 is not found, and the upper limit on the flux is 5 × 10-8ph cm-2s-1over the whole observation (160 days). Finally we compared our upper limit in gamma rays with the expectation of various models of the Cyg X-1 emission, both of hadronic and leptonic origin, in the GeV–TeV band.Conclusions. The time history of Cyg X-1 in the hard X-ray band over 13 months (not continuous) is shown. Different analysis tools do not provide fully converging results of the characteristic timescales in the system, suggesting that the timescales found in the structure function are not intrinsic to the physics of the source. While Cyg X-1 is not detected in gamma rays, our upper limit is a factor of two lower than the EGRET one and is compatible with the extrapolation of the flux measured by COMPTEL in the same spectral state.

Context. Cygnus X-1 (Cyg X-1) is a high mass X-ray binary system, known to be a black hole candidate and one of the brightest sources in the X-ray sky, which shows both variability on all timescales and frequent flares. The source spends most of the time in a hard spectral state, dominated by a power-law emission, with occasional transitions to the soft and intermediate states, where a strong blackbody component emerges.

Aims. Supernova remnants (SNRs) are believed to be the main sources of Galactic cosmic rays. Molecular clouds associated with SNRs can produce gamma-ray emission by means of the interaction of accelerated particles with the concentrated gas. The middle-aged SNR W28, because of its associated system of dense molecular clouds, provides an excellent opportunity to test this hypothesis.Methods. We present the AGILE/GRID observations of SNR W28, and compare them with observations at other wavelengths (TeV and 12CO (J=1$\rightarrow$0)molecular line emission). Results. The gamma-ray flux detected by AGILE from the dominant source associated with W28 is (14 ±5) × 10-8ph cm-2s-1for E > 400MeV. This source is positionally well correlated with the TeV emission observed by the HESS telescope. The local variations in the GeV to TeV flux ratio imply that there is a difference between the CR spectra of the north-west and south molecular cloud complexes. A model based on a hadronic-induced interaction and diffusion with two molecular clouds at different distances from the W28 shell can explain both the morphological and spectral features observed by both AGILE in the MeV-GeV energy range and the HESS telescope in the TeV energy range. The combined set of AGILE and H.E.S.S. data strongly support a hadronic model for the gamma-ray production in W28.

Aims. Supernova remnants (SNRs) are believed to be the main sources of Galactic cosmic rays. Molecular clouds associated with SNRs can produce gamma-ray emission by means of the interaction of accelerated particles with the concentrated gas. The middle-aged SNR W28, because of its associated system of dense molecular clouds, provides an excellent opportunity to test this hypothesis.

Context. SuperAGILE is the hard X-ray monitor of the AGILE gamma ray mission, in orbit since 23 April 2007. It is an imaging experiment based on a set of four independent silicon strip detectors, equipped with one-dimensional coded masks, operating in the nominal energy range 18–60 keV.

Context. SuperAGILE is the hard X-ray monitor of the AGILE gamma ray mission, in orbit since 23 April 2007. It is an imaging experiment based on a set of four independent silicon strip detectors, equipped with one-dimensional coded masks, operating in the nominal energy range 18–60 keV.Aims. The main goal of SuperAGILE is the observation of cosmic sources simultaneously with the main gamma-ray AGILE experiment, the Gamma Ray Imaging Detector (GRID). Given its ~steradian-wide field of view and its ~15 mCrab day-sensitivity, SuperAGILE is also well suited to the long-term monitoring of Galactic compact objects and the detection of bright transients.Methods. The SuperAGILE detector properties and design allow for a 6 arcmin angular resolution in each of the two independent orthogonal projections of the celestial coordinates. Photon by photon data are continuously available by means of experiment telemetry, and are used to derive images and fluxes of individual sources, with integration times depending on the source intensity and position in the field of view.Results. We report on the main scientific results achieved by SuperAGILE over its first two years in orbit, until April 2009. The scientific observations started in mid-July 2007, with the science verification phase, continuing during the complete AGILE Cycle 1 and the first ~half of Cycle 2. Despite the largely non-uniform sky coverage, due to the pointing strategy of the AGILE mission, a few tens of Galactic sources were monitored, sometimes for unprecedently long continuous periods, leading to the detection also of several bursts and outbursts. Approximately one gamma ray burst per month was detected and localized, allowing for prompt multiwavelength observations. A few extragalactic sources in bright states were occasionally detected as well. The light curves of sources measured by SuperAGILE are made publicly available on the web in almost real-time. To enable a proper scientific use of these, we provide the reader with the relevant scientific and technical background.

CVD diamond is an interesting material for radiation detection, its atomic number (Z = 6) is close to that of soft tissues (Z = 7.1) and it can also work in harsh environments. Since many years CVD diamond films have been grown at the Faculty of Engineering, Rome ‘Tor Vergata’ University, and in 1998 a collaboration with ENEA Fusion Division was established to develop fast neutron monitors to be used in fusion tokamak environment. In this paper the first test of a 120 µm thick polycrystalline CVD diamond detector used for monitoring 14.7 MeV neutrons emission produced with the Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG) is reported. The detector operates in air and in pulse mode. The time irradiation profiles recorded with the CVD diamond detector were compared with those recorded by the standard monitors available at FNG (SSD, fission chamber, NE-213). Good stability and capability to operate in neutron flux up to 1.5 × 108 n cm−2 s−1 was observed. The radiation hardness property was also investigated using a 460 µm thick film and these results are also reported.