First Detection in Gamma-Rays of a Young Radio Galaxy: Fermi-LAT Observations of the Compact Symmetric Object PKS 1718-649

We report the γ-ray detection of a young radio galaxy, PKS 1718-649, belonging to the class of compact symmetric objects (CSOs), with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi satellite. The third Fermi Gamma-ray LAT catalog (3FGL) includes an unassociated γ-ray source, 3FGL J1728.0-6446, located close to PKS 1718-649. Using the latest Pass 8 calibration, we confirm that the best-fit 1σ position of the γ-ray source is compatible with the radio location of PKS 1718-649. Cross-matching of the γ-ray source position with the positions of blazar sources from several catalogs yields negative results. Thus, we conclude that PKS 1718-649 is the most likely counterpart to the unassociated LAT source. We obtain a detection test statistics TS ∼ 36 (>5σ) with a best-fit photon spectral index Γ = 2.9 ± 0.3 and a 0.1-100 GeV photon flux density F 0.1-100 GeV = (11.5 ± 0.3) × 10-9 ph cm-2 s-1. We argue that the linear size (∼2 pc), the kinematic age (∼100 years), and the source distance (z = 0.014) make PKS 1718-649 an ideal candidate for γ-ray detection in the framework of the model proposing that the most compact and the youngest CSOs can efficiently produce GeV radiation via inverse-Compton scattering of the ambient photon fields by the radio lobe non-thermal electrons. Thus, our detection of the source in γ-rays establishes young radio galaxies as a distinct class of extragalactic high-energy emitters and yields a unique insight on the physical conditions in compact radio lobes interacting with the interstellar medium of the host galaxy.