Young Collapsed Supernova Remnants: Similarities and Differences in Neutron Stars, Black Holes, and More Exotic Objects

摘要

Type Ia supernovae are thought to explode completely, leaving no condensedremnant, only an expanding shell. Other types of supernovae are thought toinvolve core collapse and are expected to leave a condensed remnant, whichcould be either a neutron star or a black hole, or just possibly, somethingmore exotic, such as a quark orstrange star, a naked singularity, a frozenstar, a wormhole or a red hole. It has proven surprisingly difficult todetermine which type of condensed remnant has been formed in those cases wherethe diagnostic highly regular pulsar signature of a neutron star is absent. Weconsider possible observational differences between the two standardcandidates, as well as the more speculative alternatives. We classify condensed remnants according to whether they do or do not possessthree major features: 1)a hard surface, 2)an event horizon, and 3)asingularity. Black holes and neutron stars differ on all three criteria. Someof the less frequently considered alternatives are "intermediate," in the sensethat they possess some of the traits of a black hole and some of the traits ofa neutron star. This possibility makes distinguishing the various possibilitieseven more difficult.