Central Compact Objects in Supernova Remnants

TL;DR

This paper reviews Central Compact Objects (CCOs), a class of neutron stars in supernova remnants characterized by soft X-ray emission, exploring their properties, potential origins, and relationship with other neutron star types.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of CCOs, discussing their observational features, possible formation mechanisms, and their connection to other isolated neutron star classes.

Findings

Three CCOs are weakly magnetized isolated neutron stars.

The phenomenology of CCOs remains not fully understood.

CCOs may be influenced by supernova fall-back accretion.

Abstract

Central Compact Objects (CCOs) are a handful of sources located close to the geometrical center of young supernova remnants. They only show thermal-like, soft X-ray emission and have no counterparts at any other wavelength. While the first observed CCO turned out to be a very peculiar magnetar, discovery that three members of the family are weakly magnetised Isolated Neutron Stars (INSs) set the basis for an interpretation of the class. However, the phenomeology of CCOs and their relationship with other classes of INSs, possibly ruled by supernova fall-back accretion, are still far from being well understood.