Astronomers Link Repeating Radio Bursts to a Close White Dwarf–Red Dwarf Binary
Using ASKAP, researchers pinpointed the source of long-period radio transients to a tight magnetic white dwarf–red dwarf binary (ASKAP J1745-5051). The ~1.368-hour orbital period matches the ~1.345-hour radio repetition, while X-ray data show a ~1.32-hour cycle; radio bursts are elliptically polarized and linked to magnetic accretion regions, distinct from the X-ray emitting zone—making this system a key reference for understanding LPTs.