Kevin Marshall et al. 2009 ApJ 696 601 doi:10.1088/0004-637X/696/1/601
Kevin Marshall1,2, Wesley T. Ryle2, H. Richard Miller2, Alan P. Marscher3, Svetlana G. Jorstad3, Benjamin Chicka4 and Ian M. McHardy5
Show affiliationsWe present results from a multiyear monitoring campaign of the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 120, using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer for nearly five years of observations. Additionally, we present coincident optical monitoring using data from several ground-based observatories. Both the X-ray and optical emission are highly variable and appear to be strongly correlated, with the X-ray emission leading the optical by 28 days. The X-ray power density spectrum is best fit by a broken power law, with a low-frequency slope of –1.2, breaking to a high-frequency slope of –2.1, and a break frequency of log νb = –5.75 Hz, or 6.5 days. This value agrees well with the value expected based on 3C 120's mass and accretion rate. We find no evidence for a second break in the power spectrum. Combined with a moderately soft X-ray spectrum (Γ = 1.8) and a moderately high accretion rate (
), this indicates that 3C 120 fits in well with the high/soft variability state found in most other active galactic nuclei. Previous studies have shown that the spectrum has a strong Fe Kα line, which may be relativistically broadened. The presence of this line, combined with a power spectrum similar to that seen in Seyfert galaxies, suggests that the majority of the X-ray emission in this object arises in or near the disk, and not in the jet.
galaxies: active; galaxies: individual (3C 120); galaxies: Seyfert
Issue 1 (2009 May 1)
Received 2008 September 22, accepted for publication 2009 February 10
Published 2009 April 16
Kevin Marshall et al. 2009 ApJ 696 601
Francesca D. D'arcangelo et al. 2009 ApJ 697 985
V Lanticq et al 2009 Meas. Sci. Technol. 20 034018
H. A. Weaver et al. 2003 The Astronomical Journal 126 444
Laura Cadonati et al 2009 Class. Quantum Grav. 26 114008
Kesheng Wu 2005 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 16 556
Klaus Keller et al 2007 Environ. Res. Lett. 2 024004
Varghese Mathai and David Roberts 2006 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 39 6039
David J Brenner et al 2009 Phys. Med. Biol. 54 6065
Martin Heiß et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 075603