AGILE DATA CENTER AT ASDC AND AGILE HIGHLIGHTS

Abstract

We present an overview of the main AGILE Data Center activities and the AGILE scientific highlights during the first 5 years of operations. AGILE is an ASI space mission in joint collaboration with INAF, INFN and CIFS, dedicated to the observation of the gamma-ray Universe. The AGILE satellite was launched on April 23rd, 2007, and is devoted to gamma-ray astrophysics in the 30MeV ÷ 50 GeV energy range, with simultaneous X-ray imaging capability in the 18 ÷ 60 keV band. Despite the small size and budget, AGILE has produced several important scientific results, including the unexpected discovery of strong and rapid gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula over daily timescales. This discovery won AGILE PI and the AGILE Team the prestigious Bruno Rossi Prize for 2012, an international award in the field of high energy astrophysics. Thanks to its sky monitoring capability and fast ground segment alert system, AGILE is substantially improving our knowledge of the gamma-ray sky, also making a crucial contribution to the study of the terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) detected in the Earth atmosphere. The AGILE Data Center, part of the ASI Science Data Center (ASDC) located in Frascati, Italy, is in charge of all the science oriented activities related to the analysis, archiving and distribution of AGILE data.