Constraining the Birth Events of Neutron Stars

Abstract

The prescient remark by Baade and Zwicky that supernovae beget neutron stars did little to prepare us for the remarkable variety of observational manifestations such objects display. Indeed, during the first thirty years of the empirical study of neutron stars, only a handful were found to be associated with the remnants of exploded stars. But recent X-ray and radio observations have gone a long way toward justifying the theoretical link between supernovae and neutron stars, and have revealed the wide range of properties with which newborn compact remnants are endowed. We review here our current state of knowledge regarding neutron star-supernova remnant associations, pointing out the pitfalls and the promise which such links hold. We discuss work on the ranges of neutron star velocities, initial spin periods, and magnetic field strengths, as well as on the prevalence of pulsar wind nebulae. The slots in neutron star demography held by AXPs, SGRs, radio-quiet neutron stars, and other denizens of the zoo are considered. We also present an attempt at a comprehensive census of neutron star-remnant associations and discuss the selection effects militating against finding more such relationships. We conclude that there is no pressing need to invoke large black hole or silent neutron star populations, and that the years ahead hold great promise for producing a more complete understanding of neutron star birth parameters and their subsequent evolution.