THE CENTRAL ENGINE STRUCTURE OF 3C120: EVIDENCE FOR A RETROGRADE BLACK HOLE OR A REFILLING ACCRETION DISK

The broad-line radio galaxy 3C120 is a powerful source of both X-ray and radio emission including superluminal jet outflows. We report on our reanalysis of 160 ks of Suzaku data taken in 2006, previously examined by Kataoka et al. Spectral fits to the X-ray Imaging Spectrometer and Hard X-ray Detector/positive intrinsic negative data over a range of 0.7-45 keV reveal a well-defined iron K line complex with a narrow K alpha core and relativistically broadened features consistent with emission from the inner regions of the accretion disk. Furthermore, the inner region of the disk appears to be truncated, with an inner radius of (r)(in) = 11.7(-5.2)(+3.5) (r)(g). If we assume that fluorescent iron line features terminate at the inner-most stable circular orbit (ISCO), then we measure a black hole spin of (a) over cap < -0.1 at a 90% confidence level. A rapidly spinning prograde black hole (<(a)over cap> > 0.8) can be ruled out at the 99% confidence level. Alternatively, the disk may be truncated well outside of the ISCO of a rapid prograde hole. The most compelling scenario is the possibility that the inner regions of the disk were destroyed/ejected by catastrophic instabilities just prior to the time these observations were made.