Connection Between X-Ray Dips and Superluminal Ejections in the Radio Galaxy 3C 120

摘要

This work represents a part of a long-term study of the X-ray flux variability of 3C 120 and its relation to flux and structural changes in the radio jet of this galaxy. The grant included fiinding for the rediiction and analysis of data obt,ained during the time pwiod of Rossi XTE cycle 8 (March 1, 2003-February 29, 2004). Prior RXTE observations, combined with single dish monitoring at centimeter wavelengths and 43 GHz mapping (monthly until February 1999 and bimonthly thereafter) of the inner jet with the VLBA, had identified the presence of X-ray dips in the light curves and X-ray spectral hardening 4 weeks prior to the ejection of new VLBI components in the radio jet. This suggested a picture in which the radio jet was fed by accretion events near the black hole. The specific goals of the cycle 8 observations were to better define the relation between the X-ray dips and the radio events using higher sampling, to include more events in the correlation and hence improve the statistics, to look for a possible optical X-ray connection, and to search for quasi periodicities on timescales of 1-3 days. In cycle 8 this project was awarded time for 4 pointings weekly with RXTE.