2019MNRAS.490.1166M

I investigate the possibility that a recently reported radio transient in M81, VTC J095517.5 + 690813, was caused by the accretion-induced collapse of a white dwarf. It became bright in the radio, but no associated optical transient was discovered. An accretion-induced collapse is predicted to be radio-bright but optically faint, satisfying the observed properties. I compare the predicted radio emission from an accretion-induced collapse with that of VTC J095517.5 + 690813 and show that this object can be reasonably explained by an accretion-induced collapse. Although it is difficult to firmly conclude that VTC J095517.5 + 690813 is an accretion-induced collapse, my results show that radio-bright transients without an optical counterpart could be related to stellar deaths.