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A.P. Marscher, S.G. Jorstad (Boston U.), J.L. Gomez (IAA, Spain), M.F. Aller (U. Michigan)
We compare the RXTE X-ray light curve of 3C 120 from our late 1997 to early 2000 observations, plus early 1997 archival data, with both the cm-wave light curves (University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory) and the times of ejections of apparent superluminal components (from VLBA observations; see Gómez et al. 2000). There is no correlation between the X-ray and radio light curves. However, the epochs of all four observed superluminal ejections correspond, to within the errors, with pronounced dips in the X-ray light curves (photon energies in the range 2--20 keV).
This behavior is similar to that of the binary-system ``microquasar'' GRS1915+105 in the Milky Way galaxy (Mirabel & Rodri\'{i}guez 1998), although in 3C 120 there is no evidence for rapid, quasi-periodic fluctuations in X-ray flux. These observations therefore support the notion that in active galactic nuclei eruptions of energetic outflow are related to excess accretion onto a supermassive black hole.
This work was supported in part by NASA grants NAG5-7331 and NAG5-9161 (RXTE observations) and NSF grant AST-9802941 (VLBA observations).
References:
Mirabel, I.F., & Rodr\'{i}guez, L.F. 1998, Nature, 392, 673