Unveiling the Nature of the Enigmatic Central Object of the RCW 103 Supernova Remnant

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X-ray observations of the young (2,000 yrs) supernova remnant RCW 103 have revealed an enigmatic central object, originally claimed to be an isolated neutron star. However, long-term variability and 6-hr periodicity hint that the object may be a low-mass X-ray binary, with an undetected companion (R ⪆ 24, V ⪆ 25) probably later than M0V. To understand the nature of the source, we propose deep infrared imaging. An optical counterpart, variable at the X-ray period, and with brightness and broad-band spectrum consistent with a stellar-like object, would identify the source as an accreting binary with an unusually subluminous companion. Alternatively, a faint counterpart with a peculiar spectrum would indicate the presence of a long- hypothesized residual disk left-over after the supernova explosion. The lack of a counterpart would mean that the observed X-ray variability is due to some intrinsic, very unusual, properties of the compact object.

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