Characterizing the gamma-ray variability of the brightest flat spectrum radio quasars observed with the Fermi LAT

Almost 10 yr of gamma-ray observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope have revealed extreme gamma-ray outbursts from flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), temporarily making these objects the brightest gamma-ray emitters in the sky. Yet, the location and mechanisms of the gamma-ray emission remain elusive. We characterize long-term gamma-ray variability and the brightest gamma-ray flares of six FSRQs. Consecutively zooming in on the brightest flares, which we identify in an objective way through Bayesian blocks and a hill-climbing algorithm, we find variability on subhour timescales and as short as minutes for two sources in our sample (3C 279 and CTA 102) and weak evidence for variability at timescales less than the Fermi satellite's orbit of 95 minutes for PKS 1510-089 and 3C 454.3. This suggests extremely compact emission regions in the jet. We do not find any signs of gamma-ray absorption in the broad-line region (BLR), which indicates that gamma-rays are produced at distances greater than hundreds of gravitational radii from the central black hole. This is further supported by a cross-correlation analysis between gamma-ray and radio/millimeter light curves, which is consistent with gamma-ray production at the same location as the millimeter core for 3C 273, CTA 102, and 3C 454.3. The inferred locations of the gamma-ray production zones are still consistent with the observed decay times of the brightest flares if the decay is caused by external Compton scattering with BLR photons. However, the minute-scale variability is challenging to explain in such scenarios.