Variability of gamma-ray emission from blazars on the black hole timescales

Abstract

We investigate the variability properties of blazars in the GeV band using the data of the Fermi/LAT telescope. We find that blazars exhibit variability on the scales down to the minimal timescale resolvable by Fermi, which is a function of the peak photon count rate in the LAT. This implies that the real minimal variability timescales for the majority of blazars are typically shorter than those resolvable by the LAT. We find that for several blazars these minimal variability timescales reach those associated to the blazar central engine, the supermassive black hole. At the same time, none of the blazars exhibits variability on the timescale shorter than the black hole horizon light crossing time and/or the period of rotation around the last stable circular orbit. Based on this fact, we argue that the timing properties of the gamma-ray signal could be determined by the processes in the direct vicinity of the supermassive black hole.

8 pages, 6 figures

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