Canonical timing and spectral behavior of LMC X-3 in the low/hard state

We present results from three observations with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Expl orer (RXTE) of LMC X-3, obtained while the source was in an extended low/ha rd state. The data reveal a hard X-ray spectrum that is well fit by a pure power law with photon index Gamma = 1.69 +/- 0.02, with a source luminosity at 50 kpc of (5-16) x 10(36) ergs s(-1) (2-10 keV). Strong broadband (0.01 -100 Hz) time variability is also observed, with fractional rms amplitude 4 0% +/- 4%, plus a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) peak at 0.46 +/- 0.02 Hz with rms amplitude similar to 14%. This is the first reported observation in which the full canonical low/hard state behavior (pure hard power-law sp ectrum combined with strong broadband noise and QPO) for LMC X-3 is seen. W e reanalyze several archival RXTE observations of LMC X-3, derive consisten t spectral and timing parameters, and determine the overall luminosity vari ation between high/soft and low/hard states. The timing and spectral proper ties of LMC X-3 during the recurrent low/hard states are quantitatively sim ilar to that typically seen in the Galactic black hole candidates.