Day-Scale Variability of 3C 279 and Searches for Correlations in Gamma-Ray, X-Ray, and Optical Bands

Light curves of 3C 279 are presented in optical (R-band), X-rays (RXTE/PCA), and γ rays (CGRO/EGRET) for 1999 Jan–Feb and 2000 Jan–Mar. During both of those epochs the γ-ray levels were high, and all three observed bands demonstrated substantial variation, on time scales as short as one day. Correlation analyses provided no consistent pattern, although a rather significant optical/γ-ray correlation was seen Code 661, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771 [email protected] Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, Strada Osservatorio 20, I-10025 Pino Torinese, Italy Department of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346-1398 Landessternwarte Königstuhl, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany Department of Space Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005-1892 Chandra Fellow Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, P.O. Box 1603, 85740 Garching, Germany Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303 Tuorla Observatory, Väisäläntie 20, FIN-21500 Piikkiö, Finland Abastumani Observatory, 383762 Abastumani, Republic of Georgia Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, UK W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215 Osservatorio Astronomico di Perugia, Via Bonfigli, 06123 Perugia, Italy Code 662, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, 14482 Potsdam, Germany Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Western Kentucky University, 1 Big Red Way, Bowling Green, KY 42104