Where do gamma rays come from in active galaxies?

Analyzing eight years of Fermi observations of jetted active galaxies, researchers mapped the location and origin of gamma-ray flares using statistical modeling. The emission region sits 2–4 times farther from the black hole than the dusty torus, beyond the broad-line region entirely. Variability correlates with both jet activity (radio/X-ray luminosity) and accretion disk properties (black hole mass, feeding rate), suggesting the flares arise from a interplay between the jet and the material feeding the black hole.