XMM-Newton follow-up observations of AGILE-triggered gamma-ray flaring blazars

We propose XMM-Newton observations of flaring blazars triggered by the AGILE gamma-ray satellite. For the first time after GCRO it will be possible to observe blazars during high gamma-ray activity states from a few keV up to a few GeV. This chance will be crucial to study the simultaneous spectral and temporal behaviour of blazars and to study the synchrotron to Inverse Compton (IC) transition region. Quasi-simultaneous observations by XMM-Newton and AGILE of blazars in active states will be important to establish the peaks of the nuFnu spectra, to study the broad-band SED, and to constrain the emitting particle distributions and acceleration mechanisms. We request 3 x 15 ksec XMM-Newton ToO observations (2 days apart) to cover the first major flare detected by AGILE.