MeerKAT observations of white dwarf pulsars

White dwarf radio pulsars (WD pulsars) are a fascinating, newly established class of compact binary systems. These are defined as detached white dwarf + M dwarf compact binaries ($P_{\rm{orb}}\sim 4\,\text{hours}$) that exhibit pulsed multi-wavelength emission (from X-ray to radio) associated with a rapid rotation of the white dwarf. Only three such systems have been spectroscopically confirmed: AR Sco, J1912$-$4410 and J2306$+$2440. Since its discovery in 2016, AR Sco has spurred debate about the nature and origin of WD pulsars, particularly regarding the formation of their presumably strong magnetic fields. J1912$-$4410's radio emission is sharp and narrow, resembling that of a canonical pulsar much more than AR Sco does. It offers a crucial opportunity to refine our understanding of WD pulsar formation and of their place in the broader context of magnetic cataclysmic variable (mCV) evolution. Here, we demonstrate how MeerKAT’s 2-second timing resolution provides a powerful means of probing the nature of the pulsed radio emission from J1912$-$4410. We present the preliminary results of the first long-term monitoring of J1912$-$4410 at radio wavelengths --- in particular, we determine a precise white dwarf spin period of $5.32339264(40)\,$minutes and highlight the differences of its radio emission to that of AR Sco.

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Publication Details

Published
2025-12-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.22323/1.514.0061
Primary Topic
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

MeerKAT observations of white dwarf pulsars

Ian Heywood, R. P. Fender, Vinand Prayag, Marisa Geyer et al.
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
article

MeerKAT observations of white dwarf pulsars

Ian Heywood, R. P. Fender, Vinand Prayag, Marisa Geyer, Ingrid Pelisoli, Manisha Caleb, P. A. Woudt, B. W. Stappers, David Buckley, Emil Meintjes
article en

Abstract

White dwarf radio pulsars (WD pulsars) are a fascinating, newly established class of compact binary systems. These are defined as detached white dwarf + M dwarf compact binaries ($P_{\rm{orb}}\sim 4\,\text{hours}$) that exhibit pulsed multi-wavelength emission (from X-ray to radio) associated with a rapid rotation of the white dwarf. Only three such systems have been spectroscopically confirmed: AR Sco, J1912$-$4410 and J2306$+$2440. Since its discovery in 2016, AR Sco has spurred debate about the nature and origin of WD pulsars, particularly regarding the formation of their presumably strong magnetic fields. J1912$-$4410's radio emission is sharp and narrow, resembling that of a canonical pulsar much more than AR Sco does. It offers a crucial opportunity to refine our understanding of WD pulsar formation and of their place in the broader context of magnetic cataclysmic variable (mCV) evolution. Here, we demonstrate how MeerKAT’s 2-second timing resolution provides a powerful means of probing the nature of the pulsed radio emission from J1912$-$4410. We present the preliminary results of the first long-term monitoring of J1912$-$4410 at radio wavelengths --- in particular, we determine a precise white dwarf spin period of $5.32339264(40)\,$minutes and highlight the differences of its radio emission to that of AR Sco.

National Research Foundation, Swinburne University of Technology
Openalex Percentile: Top 74%
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
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MeerKAT observations of white dwarf pulsars — Ian Heywood, R. P. Fender, et al. · (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS