Constraints on an optical counterpart for the long-period radio transient GPM J1839-10

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Pelisoli, Ingrid, Brown, A. J., Segura, N. Castro, Dhillon, V. S., Dyer, M. J., Garbutt, J. A., Green, M. J., Jarvis, D., Kennedy, M. R., Kerry, P., Littlefair, S. P., McCormac, J., Munday, J., Parsons, S. G., Pike, E., Sahman, D. I., Yates, A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Pelisoli, Ingrid
Brown, A. J.
Segura, N. Castro
Dhillon, V. S.
Dyer, M. J.
Garbutt, J. A.
Green, M. J.
Jarvis, D.
Kennedy, M. R.
Kerry, P.
Littlefair, S. P.
McCormac, J.
Munday, J.
Parsons, S. G.
Pike, E.
Sahman, D. I.
Yates, A.
author_facet Pelisoli, Ingrid
Brown, A. J.
Segura, N. Castro
Dhillon, V. S.
Dyer, M. J.
Garbutt, J. A.
Green, M. J.
Jarvis, D.
Kennedy, M. R.
Kerry, P.
Littlefair, S. P.
McCormac, J.
Munday, J.
Parsons, S. G.
Pike, E.
Sahman, D. I.
Yates, A.
contents Long period radio transients (LPTs) are periodic radio sources showing pulsed emission on timescales from minutes to hours. The underlying sources behind this emission are currently unclear. There are two leading candidates: neutron stars or white dwarfs. Neutron stars could emit at LPT timescales as magnetars, binaries, or precessing sources. White dwarfs on the other hand have only been observed to emit in radio as binary systems with companions that provide charged particles through their wind. A key distinction is that an optical counterpart is much more likely in the white dwarf scenario. GPM J1839-10 is an LPT with a radio period of 21 min for which the white dwarf scenario has been favoured, but no optical counterpart is confirmed. Using HiPERCAM, a high-speed multi-colour photometer that observes simultaneously in ugriz filters, we probe the existence of a white dwarf in GPM J1839-10. We do not directly detect a white dwarf, but cannot rule out its presence given the uncertain distance and reddening of GPM J1839-10. On the other hand, we find evidence in our data for periodic behaviour in harmonics of the radio period, as expected from the white dwarf scenario.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_20438
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Constraints on an optical counterpart for the long-period radio transient GPM J1839-10
Pelisoli, Ingrid
Brown, A. J.
Segura, N. Castro
Dhillon, V. S.
Dyer, M. J.
Garbutt, J. A.
Green, M. J.
Jarvis, D.
Kennedy, M. R.
Kerry, P.
Littlefair, S. P.
McCormac, J.
Munday, J.
Parsons, S. G.
Pike, E.
Sahman, D. I.
Yates, A.
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Long period radio transients (LPTs) are periodic radio sources showing pulsed emission on timescales from minutes to hours. The underlying sources behind this emission are currently unclear. There are two leading candidates: neutron stars or white dwarfs. Neutron stars could emit at LPT timescales as magnetars, binaries, or precessing sources. White dwarfs on the other hand have only been observed to emit in radio as binary systems with companions that provide charged particles through their wind. A key distinction is that an optical counterpart is much more likely in the white dwarf scenario. GPM J1839-10 is an LPT with a radio period of 21 min for which the white dwarf scenario has been favoured, but no optical counterpart is confirmed. Using HiPERCAM, a high-speed multi-colour photometer that observes simultaneously in ugriz filters, we probe the existence of a white dwarf in GPM J1839-10. We do not directly detect a white dwarf, but cannot rule out its presence given the uncertain distance and reddening of GPM J1839-10. On the other hand, we find evidence in our data for periodic behaviour in harmonics of the radio period, as expected from the white dwarf scenario.
title Constraints on an optical counterpart for the long-period radio transient GPM J1839-10
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20438