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M. Tavani

Publications and source records attributed to M. Tavani.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

AGILE, Fermi, Swift, and GASP-WEBT multi-wavelength observations of the high-redshift blazar 4C $+$71.07 in outburst

The flat-spectrum radio quasar 4C $+$71.07 is a high-redshift ($z=2.172$), $γ$-loud blazar whose optical emission is dominated by the thermal radiation from accretion disc. 4C $+$71.07 has been detected in outburst twice by the AGILE $γ$-ray satellite during the period end of October - mid November 2015, when it reached a $γ$-ray flux of the order of $F_{\rm E>100\,MeV} = (1.2 \pm 0.3)\times 10^{-6}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ and $F_{\rm E>100\,MeV} = (3.1 \pm 0.6)\times 10^{-6}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, respectively, allowing us to investigate the properties of the jet and of the emission region. We investigated its spectral energy distribution by means of almost simultaneous observations covering the cm, mm, near-infrared, optical, ultra-violet, X-ray and $γ$-ray energy bands obtained by the GASP-WEBT Consortium, the Swift and the AGILE and Fermi satellites. The spectral energy distribution of the second $γ$-ray flare (the one whose energy coverage is more dense) can be modelled by means of a one-zone leptonic model, yielding a total jet power of about $4\times10^{47}$ erg s$^{-1}$. During the most prominent $γ$-ray flaring period our model is consistent with a dissipation region within the broad-line region. Moreover, this class of high-redshift, large-mass black-hole flat-spectrum radio quasars might be good targets for future $γ$-ray satellites such as e-ASTROGAM.

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AGILE detection of gamma-ray sources coincident with cosmic neutrino events

The origin of cosmic neutrinos is still largely unknown. Using data obtained by the gamma-ray imager on board of the AGILE satellite, we systematically searched for transient gamma-ray sources above 100 MeV that are temporally and spatially coincident with ten recent high-energy neutrino IceCube events. We find three AGILE candidate sources that can be considered possible counterparts to neutrino events. Detecting 3 gamma-ray/neutrino associations out of 10 IceCube events is shown to be unlikely due to a chance coincidence. One of the sources is related to the BL Lac source TXS 0506+056. For the other two AGILE gamma-ray sources there are no obvious known counterparts, and both Galactic and extragalactic origin should be considered.

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Science with e-ASTROGAM (A space mission for MeV-GeV gamma-ray astrophysics)

e-ASTROGAM (enhanced ASTROGAM) is a breakthrough Observatory space mission, with a detector composed by a Silicon tracker, a calorimeter, and an anticoincidence system, dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.3 MeV to 3 GeV - the lower energy limit can be pushed to energies as low as 150 keV for the tracker, and to 30 keV for calorimetric detection. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LIGO-Virgo-GEO600-KAGRA, SKA, ALMA, E-ELT, TMT, LSST, JWST, Athena, CTA, IceCube, KM3NeT, and LISA.

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The e-ASTROGAM gamma-ray space observatory for the multimessenger astronomy of the 2030s

e-ASTROGAM is a concept for a breakthrough observatory space mission carrying a gamma-ray telescope dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.15 MeV to 3 GeV. The lower energy limit can be pushed down to energies as low as 30 keV for gamma-ray burst detection with the calorimeter. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with remarkable polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous and current generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will be a major player of the multiwavelength, multimessenger time-domain astronomy of the 2030s, and provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LISA, LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, the Einstein Telescope and the Cosmic Explorer, IceCube-Gen2 and KM3NeT, SKA, ALMA, JWST, E-ELT, LSST, Athena, and the Cherenkov Telescope Array.

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Calibration of AGILE-GRID with on-ground data and Monte Carlo simulations

AGILE is a mission of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Scientific Program dedicated to gamma-ray astrophysics, operating in a low Earth orbit since April 23, 2007. It is designed to be a very light and compact instrument, capable of simultaneously detecting and imaging photons in the 18 keV to 60 keV X-ray energy band and in the 30 MeV{50 GeV gamma-ray energy with a good angular resolution (< 1 deg at 1 GeV). The core of the instrument is the Silicon Tracker complemented with a CsI calorimeter and a AntiCoincidence system forming the Gamma Ray Imaging Detector (GRID). Before launch, the GRID needed on-ground calibration with a tagged gamma-ray beam to estimate its performance and validate the Monte Carlo simulation. The GRID was calibrated using a tagged gamma-ray beam with energy up to 500 MeV at the Beam Test Facilities at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. These data are used to validate a GEANT3 based simulation by comparing the data and the Monte Carlo simulation by measuring the angular and energy resolutions. The GRID angular and energy resolutions obtained using the beam agree well with the Monte Carlo simulation. Therefore the simulation can be used to simulate the same performance on-light with high reliability.

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The mid-2016 flaring activity of the flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 2023-07

Flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) can suffer strong absorption above E = 25/(1+z) GeV, due to gamma-gamma interaction if the emitting region is at sub-parsec scale from the super-massive black hole (SMBH). Gamma-ray flares from these astrophysical sources can investigate the location of the high-energy emission region and the physics of the radiating processes. We present a remarkable gamma-ray flaring activity from FSRQ PKS 2023-07 during April 2016, as detected by both AGILE and Fermi satellites. An intensive multi-wavelength campaign, triggered by Swift, covered the entire duration of the flaring activity, including the peak gamma-ray activity. We report the results of multiwavelength observations of the blazar. We found that, during the peak emission, the most energetic photon had an energy of 44 GeV, putting strong constraints on the opacity of the gamma-ray dissipation region. The overall Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) is interpreted in terms of leptonic models for blazar jet, with the emission site located beyond the Broad Line Region (BLR).

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The Bright $γ$-ray Flare of 3C 279 in June 2015: AGILE Detection and Multifrequency Follow-up Observations

We report the AGILE detection and the results of the multifrequency follow-up observations of a bright $γ$-ray flare of the blazar 3C 279 in June 2015. We use AGILE-GRID and Fermi-LAT $γ$-ray data, together with Swift-XRT, Swift-UVOT, and ground-based GASP-WEBT optical observations, including polarization information, to study the source variability and the overall spectral energy distribution during the $γ$-ray flare. The $γ$-ray flaring data, compared with as yet unpublished simultaneous optical data which allow to set constraints on the big blue bump disk luminosity, show very high Compton dominance values of $\sim 100$, with a ratio of $γ$-ray to optical emission rising by a factor of three in a few hours. The multi-wavelength behavior of the source during the flare challenges one-zone leptonic theoretical models. The new observations during the June 2015 flare are also compared with already published data and non-simultaneous historical 3C 279 archival data.

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A new gamma-ray source unveiled by AGILE in the region of Orion

Diffuse galactic gamma-ray emission is produced by the interaction of cosmic rays (CRs) with the interstellar environment. The study of gamma-ray emission is therefore a powerful tool to investigate the origin of CRs and the processes through which they are accelerated. We aim to gain deeper insights of the nature of gamma-ray emission in the region of Orion, which is one of the best studied sites of on-going star formation, by analysing data from the AGILE satellite. The diffuse gamma-ray emission expected from the Orion region is relatively high. Its separation from the galactic plane also ensures a very low contribution from foreground or background emission, which makes it an ideal site for studying the processes of particle acceleration in star forming environments. The AGILE data are modelled through a template that quantifies the gamma-ray diffuse emission expected from atomic and molecular hydrogen. Other sources of emission are modelled as an isotropic contribution. Gamma-ray emission exceeding the amount expected by the diffuse emission model is detected with high level of significance. The main excess is in the high-longitude part of Orion A. A thorough analysis of this feature suggests a connection between the observed gamma-ray emission and the B0.5 Ia star k Orionis. The location of the gamma-ray excess is compatible with the site where stellar wind collides with the ISM. Both scattering on dark gas and cosmic-ray acceleration at the shock between the two environments are discussed as possible explanations, with the latter hypothesis being supported by the hardness of the energy spectrum of the emission. If confirmed, this would be the first direct detection of gamma-ray emission from the interaction between ISM and a single star's stellar wind.

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The hypersoft state of Cygnus X-3 - A key to jet quenching in X-ray binaries?

Cygnus X-3 is a unique microquasar in the Galaxy hosting a Wolf-Rayet companion orbiting a compact object that most likely is a low-mass black hole. The unique source properties are likely due to the interaction of the compact object with the heavy stellar wind of the companion. In this paper, we concentrate on a very specific period of time prior to the massive outbursts observed from the source. During this period, Cygnus X-3 is in a so-called hypersoft state, where the radio and hard X-ray fluxes are found to be at their lowest values (or non-detected), the soft X-ray flux is at its highest values, and sporadic gamma-ray emission is observed. We will utilize multiwavelength observations in order to study the nature of the hypersoft state. We observed Cygnus X-3 during the hypersoft state with Swift and NuSTAR in the X-rays and SMA, AMI-LA, and RATAN-600 in the radio. We also considered X-ray monitoring data from MAXI and $γ$-ray monitoring data from AGILE and Fermi. We found that the spectra and timing properties of the multiwavelength observations can be explained by a scenario where the jet production is turned off or highly diminished in the hypersoft state and the missing jet pressure allows the wind to refill the region close to the black hole. The results provide proof of actual jet quenching in soft states of X-ray binaries.

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AGILE Observations of the Gravitational-wave Source GW170817: Constraining Gamma-Ray Emission from a NS-NS Coalescence

The LIGO-Virgo Collaboration (LVC) detected, on 2017 August 17, an exceptional gravitational-wave (GW) event temporally consistent within $\sim\,1.7 \, \rm s$ with the GRB 1708117A observed by Fermi-GBM and INTEGRAL. The event turns out to be compatible with a neutron star-neutron star (NS-NS) coalescence that subsequently produced a radio/optical/X-ray transient detected at later times. We report the main results of the observations by the AGILE satellite of the GW170817 localization region (LR) and its electromagnetic (e.m.) counterpart. At the LVC detection time $T_0$, the GW170817 LR was occulted by the Earth. The AGILE instrument collected useful data before and after the GW-GRB event because in its spinning observation mode it can scan a given source many times per hour. The earliest exposure of the GW170817 LR by the gamma-ray imaging detector (GRID) started about 935 s after $T_0$. No significant X-ray or gamma-ray emission was detected from the LR that was repeatedly exposed over timescales of minutes, hours, and days before and after GW170817, also considering Mini-calorimeter and Super-AGILE data. Our measurements are among the earliest ones obtained by space satellites on GW170817 and provide useful constraints on the precursor and delayed emission properties of the NS-NS coalescence event. We can exclude with high confidence the existence of an X-ray/gamma-ray emitting magnetar-like object with a large magnetic field of $10^{15} \, \rm G$. Our data are particularly significant during the early stage of evolution of the e.m. remnant.

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AGILE Observations of the Gravitational Wave Source GW170104

The LIGO/Virgo Collaboration (LVC) detected on 2017 January 4, a significant gravitational-wave (GW) event (now named GW170104). We report in this Letter the main results obtained from the analysis of hard X-ray and gamma-ray data of the AGILE mission that repeatedly observed the GW170104 localization region (LR). At the LVC detection time $T_0$ AGILE observed about 36% of the LR. The gamma-ray imaging detector did not reveal any significant emission in the energy range 50 MeV--30 GeV. Furthermore, no significant gamma-ray transients were detected in the LR that was repeatedly exposed over timescales of minutes, hours, and days. We also searched for transient emission using data near $T_0$ of the omnidirectional detector MCAL operating in the energy band 0.4--100 MeV. A refined analysis of MCAL data shows the existence of a weak event (that we call "E2") with a signal-to-noise ratio of $4.4\,σ$ lasting about 32 ms and occurring $0.46\,\pm\,0.05 \,\rm s$ before $T_0$. A study of the MCAL background and of the false-alarm rate of E2 leads to the determinination of a post-trial significance between $2.4\,σ$ and $2.7\,σ$ for a temporal coincidence with GW170104. We note that E2 has characteristics similar to those detected from the weak precursor of the short GRB 090510. The candidate event E2 is worth consideration for simultaneous detection by other satellites. If associated with GW170104, it shows emission in the MeV band of a short burst preceding the final coalescence by 0.46 sec and involving $\sim 10^{-7}$ of the total rest mass energy of the system.

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AGILE detection of a candidate gamma-ray precursor to the ICECUBE-160731 neutrino event

On July 31st, 2016, the ICECUBE collaboration reported the detection of a high-energy starting event induced by an astrophysical neutrino. We report here about the search for a gamma-ray counterpart of the ICECUBE-160731 event made with the AGILE satellite. No detection was found spanning the time interval of +/- 1 ks around the neutrino event time T0 using the AGILE "burst search" system. Looking for a possible gamma-ray precursor in the results of the AGILE-GRID automatic Quick Look procedure over predefined 48-hours time-bins, we found an excess above 100 MeV between one and two days before T0, positionally consistent with the ICECUBE error circle, having a post-trial significance of about 4 sigma. A refined data analysis of this excess confirms a-posteriori the automatic detection. The new AGILE transient source, named AGL J1418+0008, thus stands as possible ICECUBE-160731 gamma-ray precursor. No other space missions nor ground observatories have reported any detection of transient emission consistent with the ICECUBE event. We show that Fermi-LAT had a low exposure of the ICECUBE region during the AGILE gamma-ray transient. Based on an extensive search for cataloged sources within the error regions of ICECUBE-160731 and AGL J1418+0008, we find a possible common counterpart showing some of the key features associated to the high-energy peaked BL Lac (HBL) class of blazars. Further investigations on the nature of this source using dedicated SWIFT ToO data are presented.

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Meeting the Challenge from Bright and Fast Gamma-Ray Flares of 3C 279

Bright and fast gamma-ray flares with hard spectra have been recently detected from the blazar 3C 279, with apparent GeV luminosities up to $10^{49}$ erg/s. The source is observed to flicker on timescales of minutes with no comparable optical-UV counterparts. Such observations challenge current models of high-energy emissions from 3C 279 and similar blazar sources that are dominated by relativistic jets along our line of sight with bulk Lorentz factors up to $ Γ\sim 20$ launched by supermassive black holes. We compute and discuss a model based on a clumpy jet comprising strings of compact plasmoids as indicated by radio observations. We follow the path of the synchrotron radiations emitted in the optical - UV bands by relativistic electrons accelerated around the plasmoids to isotropic Lorentz factors $γ\sim 1000$. These primary emissions are partly reflected back by a leading member in the string that acts as a moving mirror for the approaching companions. Around the plasmoids, shrinking \emph{gap} transient overdensities of seed photons build up. These are upscattered into the GeV range by inverse Compton interactions with the relativistic electrons accelerated in situ. We show that such a combined process produces bright gamma-ray flares with minor optical to X-ray enhancements. Main features of our model include: bright gamma-ray flares with risetimes as short as a few minutes, occurring at distances of order $10^{18} $ cm from the central black hole; Compton dominance at GeV energies by factors up to some $10^2$; little reabsorption from local photon-photon interactions.

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High-energy gamma-ray activity from V404 Cygni detected by AGILE during the 2015 June outburst

The AGILE satellite detected transient high-energy gamma-ray emission from the X-ray binary V404 Cygni, during the June 2015 outburst observed in radio, optical, X-ray and soft gamma-ray frequencies. The activity was observed by AGILE in the 50-400 MeV energy band, between 2015-06-24 UT 06:00:00 and 2015-06-26 UT 06:00:00 (MJD 57197.25 - 57199.25), with a detection significance of ${\sim}4.3σ$. The gamma-ray detection, consistent with a contemporaneous observation by Fermi-LAT, is correlated with a bright flare observed at radio and hard X-ray frequencies, and with a strong enhancement of the 511 keV line emission, possibly indicating plasmoid ejections in a lepton-dominated transient jet. The AGILE observations of this binary system are compatible with a microquasar scenario in which transient jets are responsible for the high-energy gamma-ray emission.

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Blazar Jets Perturbed by Magneto-Gravitational Stresses in Supermassive Binaries

We study particle acceleration and radiative processes in Blazar jets under recurring conditions set by gravitational perturbations in supermassive binary systems. We consider the action from a companion orbiting a primary black hole of $\sim 10^8 \, M_{\odot}$, and perturbing its relativistic jet. We discuss how such conditions induce repetitive magneto-hydrodynamic stresses along the jet, and affect its inner electron acceleration and radiative processes. Specifically, we study how macroscopic perturbations related to increased jet "magnetization" end up into higher radiative outputs in the optical, X-ray and gamma-ray bands. We find first an increase in magnetic field strength as gauged in the optical band from the Synchrotron emission of electrons accelerated in kinetic processes stimulated by reconnecting magnetic lines. The energetic electrons then proceed to up-scatter the Synchrotron photons to GeV energies after the canonical Synchrotron-Self Compton radiation process. Our model implies a specific, recurring pattern in the optical to gamma-ray emissions, made of high peaks and wide troughs. Progressing accelerations caused by spreading reconnections will produce an additional Synchrotron keV component. Such outbursts provide a diagnostics for enhanced acceleration of electrons which can up-scatter photons into the TeV range. We discuss how our model applies to the BL Lac object PG 1553+113, arguably the best candidate to now for high amplitude, recurring modulations in its gamma-ray emissions. We also consider other BL Lacs showing correlated keV - TeV radiations such as Mrk 421.

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The e-ASTROGAM gamma-ray space mission

The e-ASTROGAM is a gamma-ray space mission to be proposed as the M5 Medium-size mission of the European Space Agency. It is dedicated to the observation of the Universe with unprecedented sensitivity in the energy range 0.2 - 100 MeV, extending up to GeV energies, together with a groundbreaking polarization capability. It is designed to substantially improve the COMPTEL and Fermi sensitivities in the MeV-GeV energy range and to open new windows of opportunity for astrophysical and fundamental physics space research. e-ASTROGAM will operate as an open astronomical observatory, with a core science focused on (1) the activity from extreme particle accelerators, including gamma-ray bursts and active galactic nuclei and the link of jet astrophysics to the new astronomy of gravitational waves, neutrinos, ultra-high energy cosmic rays, (2) the high-energy mysteries of the Galactic center and inner Galaxy, including the activity of the supermassive black hole, the Fermi Bubbles, the origin of the Galactic positrons, and the search for dark matter signatures in a new energy window; (3) nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution, including the life cycle of elements produced by supernovae in the Milky Way and the Local Group of galaxies. e-ASTROGAM will be ideal for the study of high-energy sources in general, including pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae, accreting neutron stars and black holes, novae, supernova remnants, and magnetars. And it will also provide important contributions to solar and terrestrial physics. The e-ASTROGAM telescope is optimized for the simultaneous detection of Compton and pair-producing gamma-ray events over a large spectral band. It is based on a very high technology readiness level for all subsystems and includes many innovative features for the detectors and associated electronics.

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Improvement of the GAMMA-400 physical scheme for precision gamma-ray emission investigations

The main goal for the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope mission is to perform a sensitive search for signatures of dark matter particles in high-energy gamma-ray emission. Measurements will also concern the following scientific goals: detailed study of the Galactic center region, investigation of point and extended gamma-ray sources, studies of the energy spectra of Galactic and extragalactic diffuse emissions. To perform these measurements the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope possesses unique physical characteristics for energy range from ~20 MeV to ~1000 GeV in comparison with previous and current space and ground-based experiments. The major advantage of the GAMMA-400 instrument is excellent angular and energy resolutions for gamma-rays above 10 GeV. The gamma-ray telescope angular and energy resolutions for the main aperture at 100-GeV gamma rays are ~0.01 deg and ~1%, respectively. The special goal is to improve physical characteristics in the low- energy range from ~20 MeV to 100 MeV. Minimizing the amount of dead matter in the telescope aperture allows us to obtain the angular and energy resolutions better in this range than in current space missions. The gamma-ray telescope angular resolution at 50-MeV gamma rays is better than 5 deg and energy resolution is ~10%. We report the method providing these results.

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The gamma-ray source AGL J2241+4454 as the possible counterpart of MWC 656

The AGILE satellite discovered the transient source AGL J2241+4454 in 2010 which triggered the study of the associated field allowing for the discovery of the first Be/black hole binary system: MWC 656. This binary was suggested to be the counterpart of AGL J2241+4454, but this is still not a firm association. In this work we explore the archival AGILE and Fermi/LAT data in order to find more transient events originating in the field of AGL J2241+4454 and address the possibility to link them to the accretion/ejection processes of MWC 656. We found a total of 9 other transient events with AGILE compatible with the position of AGL J2241+4454, besides the one from 2010. We folded this events with the period of the binary system and we did not find significant results that allow us to associate the gamma-ray activity to any particular orbital phase. By stacking the 10 transient events we obtained a spectrum that extends between 100 MeV and 1 GeV, and we fitted it with a power law with photon index Γ = 2.3 +/- 0.2. We searched into the Fermi /LAT data in order to complement the gamma-ray information provided by AGILE but no significant results arose. In order to investigate this apparent contradiction between the two gamma-ray telescopes, we studied the exposure of the field of AGL J2241+4454 in both instruments finding significant differences. In particular, AGILE exposed for longer time and at lower off-axis angle distance the field of AGL J2241+4454. This fact, together with the energy dependent sensitivity of both instruments, and the soft spectrum found in the stacking analysis, might explain why AGILE observed the transient events not seen by Fermi/LAT.

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