The Multifrequency Campaign on 3C 279 in January 2006

We present the results of a multifrequency campaign from radio to hard X-ray energies on the blazar 3C 279 during an optical high-state in January 2006. We give the observational results (multifrequency light curves and spectra) and compile an SED. This complements an SED from an optical low-state in June 2003. Surprisingly the two SEDs differ only in their high-energy synchrotron emission (near-IR - UV), while the low-energy inverse-Compton emission (X- to Gamma-rays) remained unchanged. By interpreting with a steady-state leptonic emission model, the variability among the SED can be reproduced by a change solely of the low-energy cutoff of the relativistic electron distribution. In an internal shock model for blazar emission, such a change could e.g. achieved through a varying relative Lorentz factor of colliding shells producing internal shocks in the jet.

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