Astronomers have discovered a new type of mysterious radio source, known as long period transients, which emit bright radio signals repeating every few minutes to hours. The discovery was made using the international LOFAR radio telescope in Europe and reveals a shocking twist: these objects are likely white dwarf binaries, not pulsars.
The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, shed new light on the properties of long period transients, which were previously thought to be a mystery. The research team discovered a new object, ILTJ1101+5521, emitting seven bright pulses every two hours, with one star exhibiting a unique spectral fingerprint and another displaying excess blue light.
The only way this phenomenon can occur is if the white dwarf is in a binary system with a red star. Spectral analysis revealed the presence of a hidden companion, which explains the slow repetition of radio pulses. The discovery challenges current theories about long period transients and suggests that these objects may be more common than previously thought.
However, the research also highlights gaps in our understanding of these mysterious objects. More discoveries are needed to uncover the full nature of long period transients and their possible connections to pulsars. For now, scientists have confirmed that white dwarfs can produce radio pulses just as bright as neutron stars, revolutionizing our understanding of these enigmatic objects.
Source: https://theconversation.com/mysterious-radio-pulses-from-space-have-been-tracked-down-and-the-source-is-not-what-astronomers-expected-250251