Magnetic Interaction in White Dwarf Binaries as Mechanism for Long-Period Radio Transients

A growing population of long-period radio transients has been discovered and their physical origin is still up to debate. Recently, a new such source named ILT J1101 + 5521 was discovered, which is in a white dwarf (WD) -- M dwarf (MD) binary system, with the observed 125.5 min period being identified as the orbital period and the radio emission phase coinciding with the conjunction configuration when the MD is at the far end. We suggest that the radio emission properties of the system can be well explained within the framework of the unipolar inductor magnetic interaction model between the magnetized WD and the MD with low magnetization, with the electron cyclotron maser being the most likely radiation mechanism. This mechanism is similar to that of Jupiter decametric emission due to Jupiter-Io interaction. We suggest that this mechanism can interpret at least some long-period radio transients, especially the ultra-long period sub-population.