Supernova Remnants as Probes of Nucleosynthesis and the Aftermath of Stellar Death

Abstract: We are now approaching a century of supernova discovery, yet the detailed physics of how massive stars explode and shape their surroundings remains a central open question in astrophysics. Supernova remnants (SNRs) provide a uniquely zoomed-in view of this aftermath, linking the observed compact and diffuse remnants of the explosion to the properties of the parent supernova and its progenitor star. High-resolution imaging and spectroscopic studies now resolve shocked ejecta and circumstellar material in unprecedented detail, revealing how newly synthesized heavy elements are mixed, heated, and dispersed into the interstellar medium. At the same time, high-energy X-ray and gamma-ray observations are uncovering PeVatrons among SNRs and microquasars, providing clues to the origin of high-energy cosmic rays and to the physics of particle acceleration up to PeV energies. Core-collapse explosions also leave behind a rich diversity of compact objects, from “traditional” rotation-powered pulsars like the Crab to magnetars and central compact objects, whose properties and immediate environments encode the imprint of the supernova explosion, the progenitor star, and the physics of highly magnetized neutron stars. I will highlight recent advances in this field shaping next-generation high-energy missions, and introduce SNRcat, a growing database that enables population studies of SNRs and their compact remnants in the emerging multi-wavelength, multi-messenger era.