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The Fermi LAT detected an increase in γ-ray activity of the quasar 0836+710 (z=2.17) in Spring 2011 that culminated in a sharp γ-ray flare at the end of 2011 when the source reached a flux of 2.9×10−6 phot s−1cm−2 at 0.1-200 GeV. We monitor the quasar at optical wavelengths in photometric and polarimetric modes, at millimeter and centimeter wavelengths, and with the VLBA at 43 GHz. The optical brightness of the quasar increased by ~0.5 mag in R band and the degree of polarization oscillated between ~1% and ~6% during the highest γ-ray state, while the position angle of polarization rotated by ~300°. We have identified in the VLBA images a strong, highly polarized component that moves with an apparent speed of ~20 c. The component emerged from the core in the beginning of the γ-ray event and reached a flux maximum at the peak of the γ-ray outburst. We present the results of a correlative analysis of variations at different wavelengths along with the kinematic parameters of the parsec scale jet. We discuss the location of the high γ-ray emission in the relativistic jet, as well as the emission mechanisms responsible for γ-ray production.

We present results of 4 years of VLBA monitoring along with γ-ray and optical R-band photometric observations of 6 BL Lac objects (3C 66A, S5 0716+71, PKS 0735+17, S4 0954+68, W Com, and OT 081). We have analyzed total intensity images obtained with the VLBA at 43 GHz and investigated the kinematic evolution of the parsec scale jets of the sources. For all sources we compare flux variations in the VLBI core and bright superluminal knots with γ-ray and optical light curves. The majority of γ-ray flares have optical counterparts. 67% of the γ-ray events are coincident with the appearance of new superluminal knots and/or flares in the millimeter-wave core. These results support the conclusion that for many flares in blazars the region of the γ-ray and optical emission is located in the vicinity or downstream of the mm-wave VLBI core.

After a few years of quiescence, the blazar CTA 102 underwent a large outburst in the fall of 2012. The flare has been tracked from γ-rays to near-infrared, including Fermi and Swift data as well as polarimetric data from several observatories. An intensive GASP-WEBT collaboration campaign in optical and NIR bands, with the addition of previously unpublished archival data, allows comparison of this outburst with the previous activity period of this blazar in the early 2000s. We find remarkable similarity between the optical and γ-ray behavior of CTA 102 during the outburst, without any time lag between the two light curves, indicating co-spatiality of the optical and γ-ray emission regions. A strong harder-when-brighter spectral dependence is seen both in γ-rays and optical. The polarimetric behavior of CTA 102 during the outburst conforms with a shock-in-jet interpretation.

We analyze total and polarized intensity images of the quasar PKS 0420-014 obtained monthly with the VLBA at 43 GHz during 2008–2012 along with γ -ray data provided by the Fermi Large Area Telescope and multi-color photometric and polarimetric measurements collected by different optical telescopes. During this period the quasar underwent a number of optical flares, which were accompanied by rapid rotation of polarization angle, an increase of activity in γ -rays, and the appearance of new superluminal knots in the parsec-scale jet. We investigate the fine structure of the flares at different wavelengths and in polarized light, and determine kinematic parameters of the knots. We compare the rapid evolution of the optical polarization with the polarization of the VLBI core and knots. We interpret the multi-wavelength behavior within a model that places the blazar “dissipation zone” at the millimeter-wave core of the parsec-scale jet.