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.Comment: 11 pages, 8 Figures. Accepted for publication in Astrophysics and
Space Scienc
