2011/12/20 by M. B. Bell, S. P. Comeau
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s10509-011-0962-9
published as Astrophys Space Sci (2012) 339:143-149 · 11 pages, 8 Figures. Accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Science
arxiv created 2011/12/20 · openalex publication_date 2011/12/27 · arxiv updated 2013/01/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Evidence is presented indicating that the bursting component of the X-ray radiation detected in the nuclear region of the active radio galaxy 3C 111 comes from the blobs ejected in the pc-scale jet and not from the accretion disc. After each new outburst the radio flux density associated with it increases to a peak in ~1 year and then subsides over a period of 1-2 years with the flux falling off exponentially as the blob moves outward and dissipates. Similar peaks (bursts) are seen in the X-ray light curve and a cross-correlation between the two shows a very high correlation with the X-ray peaks leading the radio peaks by ~100 days. A second cross-correlation, this time between the radio event start times and the X-ray light curve, also shows a significant correlation. When this is taken together with the long (~1 yr) delay between the start of each ejection event and its associated X-ray peak it indicates that this bursting component of the X-ray flux must be associated with the ejected blobs in the pc-scale jet and not with the accretion disc. Because X-ray telescopes do not have the resolution required to resolve the accretion disc area from the pc-scale jet, this paper is the first to present observational evidence that can pinpoint the point of origin of at least those long-timescale X-ray bursts with durations of 1-3 yrs.