A highly magnetized long-period radio transient exhibiting unusual emission features

TL;DR

This paper reports on a long-period radio transient with unique emission features observed by MeerKAT, supporting the hypothesis that it is a magnetar-related source possibly linked to fast radio bursts.

Contribution

It provides new observational evidence of a long-period radio transient exhibiting magnetar-like properties, suggesting a connection to FRBs and advancing understanding of such astrophysical objects.

Findings

Unusual polarization properties indicating magnetospheric origin

Linear-to-circular polarization conversion observed

Drifting substructures similar to repeating FRBs

Abstract

Long-period radio transients are a new class of astrophysical objects that exhibit periodic radio emission on timescales of tens of minutes. Their true nature remains unknown; possibilities include magnetic white dwarfs, binary systems, or long-period magnetars; the latter class is predicted to produce fast radio bursts (FRBs). Using the MeerKAT radio telescope, we conducted follow-up observations of the long-period radio transient GPM J1839-10. Here we report that the source exhibits a wide range of unusual emission properties, including polarization characteristics indicative of magnetospheric origin, linear-to-circular polarization conversion, and drifting substructures closely resembling those observed in repeating FRBs. These radio characteristics provide evidence in support of the long-period magnetar model and suggest a possible connection between long-period radio transients, magnetars, and FRBs.