The hypothesis is considered that the 6·75-min periodicity observed in the transient X-ray source Ariel 1118 – 61 is due to orbital motion. Such a binary system would consist of a white dwarf transferring matter on to a compact object. The average mass transfer rate is |~ 10⁻⁷ \,M_ \,yr⁻¹| and is driven almost entirely by gravitational radiation. This rate of mass transfer obscures the X-ray source for most of the time and a transient X-ray source is seen when the mass transfer temporarily drops below this level.
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Pringle et al. (1975) studied this question.
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