R. C. Hartman, M. Villata, T. J. Balonek,
D. L. Bertsch, H. Bock, M. Böttcher, et al.
Astrophysical Journal, 558, 583 (2001)
Light curves of 3C 279 are presented in optical (R-band), X-rays (RXTE/PCA), and gamma-rays (CGRO/EGRET) for 1999 Jan - Feb and 2000 Jan - Mar. During both of those epochs the gamma-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/gamma-ray correlation was seen in 1999, with a gamma-ray lag of ~ 2.5 days, and there are other suggestions of correlations in the light curves. For comparison, correlation analysis is also presented for the gamma-ray and X-ray light curves during the large gamma-ray flare in 1996 Feb and the two gamma-bright weeks leading up to it; the correlation at that time was strong, with a gamma-ray/X-ray offset of no more than 1 day.