Evidence that the bursting component of the X-ray radiation from 3C 111 originates in the PC-scale jet

Abstract

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.