The extremely long period X-ray source in a young supernova remnant: a Thorne-Zytkow Object descendant?

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the 6.67 hr X-ray source in a young supernova remnant is a descendant of a Thorne-Zytkow Object, explaining its long period and other observed features through a specific evolutionary scenario.

Contribution

It introduces a novel evolutionary pathway linking Thorne-Zytkow Objects to long-period X-ray sources in supernova remnants, supported by theoretical modeling.

Findings

Core can be spun down to long periods via magnetic coupling

Envelope disruption leads to a slow, compact core with supernova remnant features

Predicted high lithium and rapid proton process element abundances

Abstract

The origin of the 6.67 hr period X-ray source, 1E161348-5055, in the young supernova remnant RCW 103 is puzzling. We propose that it may be the descendant of a Thorne-Zytkow Object (TZO). A TZO may at its formation have a rapidly spinning neutron star as a core, and a slowly rotating envelope. We found that the core could be braked quickly to an extremely long spin period by the coupling between its magnetic field and the envelope, and that the envelope could be disrupted by some powerful bursts or exhausted via stellar wind. If the envelope is disrupted after the core has spun down, the core will become an extremely long-period compact object, with a slow proper motion speed, surrounded by a supernova-remnant-like shell. These features all agree with the observations of 1E161348-5055. TZOs are expected to have produced extraordinary high abundances of lithium and rapid proton process elements that would remain in the remnants and could be used to test this scenario.