A central compact object (CCO) is an
x-ray source found near the center of a young, nearby
supernova remnant (SNR). Given the observed x-ray
flux
Flux describes any effect that appears to pass or travel (whether it actually moves or not) through a surface or substance. Flux is a concept in applied mathematics and vector calculus which has many applications to physics. For transport ph ...
and
spectra observed from these objects, the almost certain conclusion is that CCOs are the remnant
neutron stars which resulted from the recent
supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
. Unlike most
pulsars, CCOs generally
lack pulsed radio emission or variation in the observed x-rays due to such phenomena being either nonexistent or difficult to detect. The weaker
magnetic fields than most other detected neutron stars means that most of the detected x-rays are due to
blackbody radiation. Confirmation that the CCO is associated with the past supernova can be done using the
kinematics
Kinematics is a subfield of physics, developed in classical mechanics, that describes the Motion (physics), motion of points, Physical object, bodies (objects), and systems of bodies (groups of objects) without considering the forces that cause ...
of the objects and matching them to the age and kinematics of the host SNR.
The detection in 1980 of
1E 161348-5055
1E .1, commonly shortened to 1E 161348-5055, is a neutron star found in the centre of RCW103 supernova remnant. It is a periodic X-ray source with a period of 6.67 hours. It is approximately 2000 years old. It is 10,000 light years away in ...
at the center of SNR
RCW 103
RCW 103 is a supernova remnant with right ascension 16h17m30s and declination −51° 02. It is approximately 2000 years old and contains x-ray source 1E 161348-5055 at its heart. It is 10,000 light years away in the constellation
A cons ...
using the
Einstein Observatory was once touted as the first CCO discovery, but is now classified as a slow-rotating
magnetar due to magnetar outburst detection.
Since that object's discovery, ten CCOs have been positively identified with a further two as candidates.
List of CCOs
The following list of confirmed CCOs and their associated supernova remnants is curated by
Andrea De Luca, astronomer at the
National Institute for Astrophysics.
*
RX J0822.0-4300 (center of
Puppis A) (pulsations detected)
*
CXOU J085201.4-461753 (center of
RX J0852.0−4622
RX J0852.0−4622 (also known as G266.2−1.2) is a supernova remnant. The remnant is located in the southern sky in the constellation Vela ("sail"), and sits (in projection) inside the much larger and older Vela Supernova Remnant. For this reaso ...
)
*
1E 1207.4-5209
1E is a privately owned IT software and services company based in the United Kingdom. 1E is headquartered in London, with offices in New York City, Dublin, and Noida.
History
1E was founded in 1997 by three former Microsoft contractor ...
(center of
PKS 1209−51/52) (pulsations detected)
*
CXOU J160103.1-513353 (center of
G330.2+1.0)
*
1WGA J1713.4-3949 (center of
G347.3−0.5)
*
XMMU J172054.5-372652 (center of
G350.1−0.3)
*
XMMU J173203.3-344518 (center of
G353.6−0.7)
*
CXOU J181852.0-150213 (center of
G15.9+0.2)
*
CXOU J185238.6+004020 (center of
Kesteven 79
Kes 79 (G33.6+0.1) is a supernova remnant.
It is located in the constellation Aquila, preceding LDN617 (Lynds Dark Nebula 617).
References
{{Reflist
See also
* List of supernova remnants
This is a list of observed supernova remnants (SNRs) in t ...
) (pulsations detected
)
*
CXOU J232327.9+584842 (center of
Cassiopeia A)
References
External links
List of CCOs maintained by A. De Luca
{{astro-stub
Neutron stars
Supernova remnants
X-ray astronomy