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X-ray Dips Followed by Superluminal Ejections as Evidence for An Accretion Disc Feeding the Jet in A Radio GalaxyAccretion onto black holes is thought to power the relativistic jets and other high-energy phenomena in both active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and the "microquasar" binary systems located in our Galaxy. However, until now there has been insufficient multifrequency monitoring to establish a direct observational link between the black hole and the jet in an AGE. This contrasts with the case of microquasars, in which superluminal features appear and propagate down the radio jet shortly after sudden decreases in the X-ray flux. Such an X-ray dip is most likely caused by the disappearance of a section of the inner accretion disc, part of which falls past the event horizon and the remainder of which is injected into the jet. This infusion of energy generates a disturbance that propagates down the jet, creating the appearance of a superluminal bright spot. Here we report the results of three years of intensive monitoring of the X-ray and radio emission of the Seyfert-like radio galaxy 3C 120. As in the case of microquasars, dips in the X-ray emission are followed by ejections of bright superluminal knots in the radio jet. Comparison of the characteristic length and time scales allows us to infer that the rotational states of the black holes in these two objects are different.
Document ID
20020040411
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Marscher, Alan P.
(Boston Univ. Boston, MA United States)
Jorstad, Svetlana G.
(Boston Univ. Boston, MA United States)
Gomez, Jose-Luis
(Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia Granada, Spain)
Aller, Margo F.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI United States)
Terasranta, Harri
(Helsinki Univ. of Technology Kylmaelae, Finland)
Lister, Matthew L.
(National Radio Astronomy Observatory Charlottesville, VA United States)
Stirling, Alastair, M.
(University of Central Lancashire, Preston Lancashire, United Kingdom)
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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